Chandigarh, May 24: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday conferred 87 players with the prestigious Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award and also honoured 1,070 medal-winning sportspersons from different disciplines.
The state government also distributed prize money worth Rs 32.05 crore among players through cheques.
Addressing a felicitation ceremony here, 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.
“The Punjab government has not only honoured Olympic and Asian Games medalists with Rs 1 crore each but has also provided jobs to nine medal-winning players,” he added.
“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,” he said.
Highlighting the Punjab government’s sports vision, Mann said for the first time, 220 players in the state were granted Rs 8.61 crore to prepare for tournaments.
“The Punjab government has allocated a record sports budget of Rs 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 Rs 1,300 crore. These grounds will become guiding lights for emerging players from rural Punjab,” he added.
Mann further 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 his 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 state 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 Rs 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 Rs 1.50 crore each following their historic international cricket victories.
In shooting, world championship medalists Amanpreet Singh and Neeraj Kumar were awarded Rs 1.54 crore and Rs 1.52 crore respectively, while Kirandeep Kaur and Kritika Sharma received Rs 50 lakh each.
Rising shooter Vijayveer Sidhu was honoured with Rs 28.50 lakh, Wushu player Kushal Kumar received Rs 25 lakh, while para-powerlifting world champion Paramjit Kumar was awarded Rs 55 lakh for his remarkable international achievements.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Awards were distributed across multiple yearly cycles to recognise consistent excellence in sports, he said.
Mann also honoured Indian Men’s Hockey Team Captain Harmanpreet Singh along with Olympic medalists Gurjant Singh and Rupinder Pal Singh, Mandeep Singh, Hardik Singh, Varun Kumar, Shamsher Singh, goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak, and Dilpreet Singh.
The event also celebrated Simranjit Kaur Baath, recognised as the first female boxer from Punjab to represent India at the Olympic.
Punjab’s para-athletes were also honoured for overcoming immense physical challenges and bringing global recognition to the nation.
He said nine Olympic medal-winning players have been appointed as PCS (Punjab Civil Services) and DSP (deputy superintendent of police) officers.
Highlighting Punjab’s unmatched hockey legacy, 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,” Mann said.
