Punjab honours 1,070 Athletes, distributes Rs 32 crore in awards; CM Mann announces major push for Sports Infrastructure
87 players were conferred the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award while 1,070 medal-winning athletes from various sports were honoured: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, May 24, 2026: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday unveiled one of the biggest sports promotion drives in Punjab’s history, honouring 87 Maharaja Ranjit Singh Awardees and 1,070 medal-winning athletes with prize money worth ₹32.05 crore while announcing a sweeping expansion of the state’s sports ecosystem from villages to international arenas.
Positioning Punjab as an emerging sports powerhouse, The Chief Minister the Punjab Government has not only honoured Olympic and Asian Games medallists with ₹1 crore each and provided jobs to nine players, but has also, for the first time, extended direct financial assistance worth ₹8.61 crore to 220 players for tournament preparation.
Making a decisive shift from token recognition to structural investment in sports, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann announced a record sports budget of ₹1,763 crore for 2026-27 and the development of 3,148 rural sports grounds at a cost of ₹1,300 crore to nurture talent at the grassroots level.
The Chief Minister further declared that Punjab will host the Asian Champions Trophy for the first time, with the high-voltage India-Pakistan clash set to be played on Punjab Day.
Taking a dig at previous regimes, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said Punjab, despite producing countless champions for the country, was never earlier given the opportunity to host a major sporting event, while sports associations remained dominated by politically connected individuals instead of genuine players.
Addressing a grand felicitation ceremony, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the day marked a historic moment for Punjab as 87 players were conferred with the prestigious Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award while 1,070 medal-winning sportspersons from different disciplines were also honoured.
“For the first time in Punjab’s history, the government has distributed prize money worth ₹32.05 crore among players through cheques. The Punjab Government has not only honoured Olympic and Asian Games medalists with ₹1 crore each but has also provided jobs to nine medal-winning players,” he added.
The Chief Minister noted, “The players of Punjab have brought immense pride to the country and the state through their achievements on international platforms. It is our responsibility to stand firmly with them and ensure they receive the respect, recognition, and support they deserve.”
Highlighting the Punjab Government’s sports vision, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that for the first time, 220 players in Punjab were granted ₹8.61 crore to prepare for tournaments.
“The Punjab Government has allocated a record sports budget of ₹1,763 crore for the financial year 2026-27 to strengthen sports infrastructure and athlete development across the state. To nurture talented players in villages, 3,148 rural sports grounds are being developed at a cost of ₹1,300 crore. These grounds will become guiding lights for emerging players from rural Punjab,” he added.
The Chief Minister said Punjab will host the Asian Champions Trophy for the first time, calling it a proud moment for the state’s sporting legacy. He further announced that the much-anticipated India-Pakistan match during the tournament will be held on Punjab Day. “Punjab has given countless medals and champions to the nation, yet earlier governments never ensured that the state got the opportunity to host major international sporting events. We have changed that mindset and brought Punjab to the centre of India’s sporting map,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said.
Taking a dig at the earlier system, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said sports associations in Punjab were previously dominated by politically connected individuals, but the Punjab Government has ended that trend and opened doors for ordinary players based on merit.
In a major push towards transforming Punjab into a sporting powerhouse, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the Punjab Government has successfully cleared a decade-long backlog of pending honours from 2018 to 2023 by conferring Maharaja Ranjit Singh Awards and distributing large-scale cash rewards to elite international and national athletes.
The Chief Minister said the Punjab Government has also shifted away from the old practice of rewarding players only after victories. He stated that now athletes are being financially supported before tournaments to help them prepare and compete at the highest level.
“To support our players, the Punjab Government has directly disbursed more than ₹15 crore through a newly launched sports portal for training and procurement of high-end sports equipment. The portal also includes customised grants for disciplines such as fencing, kayaking, shooting, and archery, and will help connect players with corporate sponsors,” he said.
Among the top honourees, Indian Women’s Cricket Team Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and all-rounder Amanjot Kaur received ₹1.50 crore each following their historic international cricket victories. In shooting, world championship medalists Amanpreet Singh and Neeraj Kumar were awarded ₹1.54 crore and ₹1.52 crore respectively, while Kirandeep Kaur and Kritika Sharma received ₹50 lakh each.
Rising shooter Vijayveer Sidhu was honoured with ₹28.50 lakh, Wushu player Kushal Kumar received ₹25 lakh, while para-powerlifting world champion Paramjit Kumar was awarded ₹55 lakh for his remarkable international achievements.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Awards were distributed across multiple yearly cycles to recognise consistent excellence in sports. He stated that the 2018-19 awardees included hockey player Ramandeep Singh, judoka Kiranjit Singh, kabaddi player Harwinder Kaur, rower Jaspreet Singh, shooter Angad Veer Singh Bajwa, weightlifter Pradeep Singh, wrestler Harpreet Singh, and swimmer Chahat Arora.
He further said that the 2020 cycle honoured Sangampreet Singh Bisla in archery, Twinkle Choudhary in athletics, Veerpal in baseball, Amritpal Singh in basketball, Avtar Singh in kayaking and canoeing, Amarjit Singh in cycling, Ina Arora in fencing, and Harjinder Singh in handball.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann added that the 2021 cycle recognised archery champion Sukhbeer Singh, athlete Kirpal Singh, baseball player Amanjit Kaur Bains, kayaker Priyanka Devi, cyclist Naman Kapil, fencer Udeveer Singh, and handball player Mandeep Kaur.
The Chief Minister said a special category was dedicated to elite Arjuna Awardees and Olympic hockey stars, many of whom are serving in prestigious public service positions in Punjab. He said the honoured group included Indian Men’s Hockey Team Captain Harmanpreet Singh along with Olympic medalists Gurjant Singh and Rupinder Pal Singh, both serving as PCS officers.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann also honoured Olympic hockey stars Mandeep Singh, Hardik Singh, Varun Kumar, Shamsher Singh, goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak, and Dilpreet Singh, who serves as a DSP in Punjab Police.
The event also celebrated Simranjit Kaur Baath, recognised as the first female boxer from Punjab to represent India at the Olympics. Punjab’s para-athletes were also honoured for overcoming immense physical challenges and bringing global recognition to the nation.
Prominent para-athletes honoured during the event included Asian Games gold medalist Mohammad Yaser, swimmer Vaibhav Rajoria, wrestler Surender Kamboj, para-badminton player Palak Kohli, and para-powerlifter Paramjit Kumar.
During the ceremony, mothers and family members of athletes who could not attend due to training commitments were also invited on stage to receive honours. Among them were the mother of Asian Games medalist Harmilan Bains and Arjuna Awardee Madhuri Saxena.
“The sacrifices made by parents form the backbone of every sporting success. Their dedication, discipline, and unwavering support shape champions,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said while expressing gratitude to the families of athletes.
The Chief Minister further said that the Punjab Government has expanded the sports budget seventeen-fold and has conferred Maharaja Ranjit Singh Awards upon 87 distinguished players from 2019 to 2023.
“Today is a historic day for Punjab and the world of sports because the players who have brought honour to their parents, Punjab, and the country across the world are being felicitated. Every awardee has received ₹5 lakh along with a blazer, scroll, and commemorative emblem of Maharaja Ranjit Singh mounted on horseback,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, adding that ₹4.35 crore has been distributed among the 87 awardees.
Recalling Punjab’s extraordinary contribution to Indian sports, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the state has produced several national captains including Indian Hockey Team Captain Harmanpreet Singh, Indian Men’s Cricket Team Captain Shubman Gill, Indian Women’s Cricket Team Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, and Indian Basketball Team Captain Palpreet Singh Brar.
He further noted that Gurpreet Singh Sandhu captained the Indian Football Team last year and Punjabi cricketer Gurnoor Brar was recently selected for the Indian Cricket Team.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the Punjab Government had honoured the bronze medal-winning hockey players of the Paris Olympics with ₹1 crore each, while Asian Games gold medalists were also given ₹1 crore each.
He added that nine Olympic medal-winning players have been appointed as PCS and DSP officers, while since 2022, the Punjab Government has distributed ₹106.20 crore in prize money among players and para-athletes who excelled at national and international competitions.
The Chief Minister said that since 2023, ₹8.61 crore has been provided to 220 international players for preparation purposes, while sports institutions have been granted ₹15 crore through DBT for the purchase of sports equipment.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann further announced that 17,000 sports kits are being distributed and gym equipment is being installed in 6,000 villages across Punjab.
The Chief Minister said diet allowance for players at the Punjab State Institute of Sports has been increased from ₹248 to ₹480 per day, while the allowance at District Centres of Excellence has been raised from ₹225 to ₹350 per day.
Highlighting Punjab’s unmatched hockey legacy, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said more than 50 Punjabi hockey players have won Olympic medals, while ten Punjabi players have captained the Indian hockey team at different Olympic Games. “Villages such as Sansarpur, Khusropur, and Mithapur have illuminated Punjab’s name in world hockey by producing more than 20 Olympians,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said.
The Chief Minister recalled that India won an Olympic hockey bronze medal at Tokyo 2021 after a gap of 41 years, with nine Punjabi players in the squad led by Manpreet Singh. He added that India again secured bronze at the Paris Olympics 2024 with ten Punjabi players in the team, captained by Harmanpreet Singh, who also emerged as the tournament’s top scorer.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann further announced that the Punjab Government has created a new “Outstanding Sportsperson” cadre to provide employment opportunities to players. He said 500 posts have been created across different sports disciplines, while 45 junior coaches and three coaches have already been recruited on a regular basis.
He added that Punjab has become the first state in the country to establish a separate Sports Medicine cadre for sports science. Recruitment for 112 posts across different categories has already been completed, while recruitment for 206 physical trainer posts is underway.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann also stated that under the grassroots Talent Search Programme, 253 sports nurseries have been established with 253 nursery coaches and 26 sports supervisors to nurture young talent across Punjab.
Bhagwant Mann Govt shifts focus from post-victory rewards to athlete preparation
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann announced that the Punjab Government has moved away from the old model of rewarding players only after victories and has instead started financially supporting athletes before major tournaments. More than ₹15 crore has already been disbursed directly through a newly launched sports portal to help players prepare for competitions and procure high-end equipment. The portal includes customised grants for disciplines such as shooting, fencing, kayaking and archery, while also helping athletes connect with corporate sponsors for long-term support.
Bhagwant Mann Govt building world-class sports infrastructure from villages to international arenas
A record sports budget of ₹1,763 crore has been allocated for 2026-27. 3,148 rural sports grounds are being developed at a cost of ₹1,300 crore to nurture sporting talent in villages. The Chief Minister further announced that gym equipment is being installed in 6,000 villages, 17,000 sports kits are being distributed, and a new “Outstanding Sportsperson” cadre has been created to provide employment opportunities to athletes across Punjab.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister virtually laid the foundation stone of the Yuva Bhawan to be constructed at Sector 42, Chandigarh, at a cost of Rs 43.66 crore. This hostel will be constructed by the Department of Youth Services and will offer hostel accommodation for 200 youths, a 400-seat auditorium, conference hall, seminar hall, mess, and other modern facilities.
Similarly, Bhagwant Singh Mann also launched the specially designed Punjab Sports Portal for players thereby fulfilling the long pending demand of the athletes. Through this portal, players from any corner of the country or abroad will be able to access information pertaining to sports and avail themselves of various facilities and services meant for them.