Chandigarh, May 24
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant 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.
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, 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, 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,” Mann said.
Taking a dig at the earlier system, 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.
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.
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.
Mann 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.
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.
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,” Mann said, adding that ₹4.35 crore has been distributed among the 87 awardees.
Recalling Punjab’s extraordinary contribution to Indian sports, 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.
