SHIMLA 11 October, 2026
Prize money of Rs. 9.03 crore to be awarded to sports personalities
A spokesperson of the state government today here informant that the government will organize an award ceremony in October to honour sports personalities from the state who won medals at the 20th Asian Games.
The spokesperson said that Ritu Negi, Pushpa Rana, Jyoti Thakur and Bhawana Thakur, members of the gold medal-winning Kabaddi team, will each receive Rs. 1 crore as prize money. Sawan Barwal, who won a silver medal in the men’s marathon, will receive Rs. 2.50 crore, while Seema Kumari, who won a bronze medal in the 10,000-metre athletics event will receive Rs. 1.50 crore.
He said that Renuka Thakur, a member of the gold medal-winning cricket team, will receive Rs. 1 crore. Takhelambam Inungambi, who participated in Judo, will receive Rs. 3 lakh as an award. The state government will provide a total of Rs. 9.03 crore in prize money to these athletes.
The spokesperson further said that the state Cabinet has recently approved several important decisions to support athletes. The Cabinet has approved amendments to the rules governing cash awards for members of Indian teams that win medals at international sporting competitions.
Under the revised rules, cash prizes would be distributed equally among all eligible athletes from Himachal Pradesh who are part of a medal-winning Indian team. In such cases, each athlete may receive an amount equal to the prize money prescribed for an individual medal winner. Alternatively, the prize money may be distributed proportionately, with each athlete guaranteed at least 25 percent of the cash award prescribed for an individual medal winner. The Cabinet has also approved the creation of posts for District Youth Services and Sports Officers for sports personalities who win medals at the international level.
The spokesperson said that the state government is making continuous efforts to promote sports, encourage athletes and recognize their achievements through financial rewards and other support measures.
