Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 31 (ANI): The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, on Saturday honoured 419 sportspersons with cash awards worth Rs 17.85 crore for their outstanding performances at national and international sporting events, announced the launch of the Khelo Himachal Campaign from Dharamshala on November 20 and said the government was committed to making the state chitta-free by 2027.

Addressing a state-level Him Ratna-2026 awards ceremony here, and later speaking with reporters, Sukhu said the government had significantly enhanced cash incentives for sportspersons to recognise their achievements and encourage young talent.

The Chief Minister presented awards to 51 international-level and 368 national-level sportspersons. Of the total amount, Rs 13.55 crore was distributed among international-level athletes and Rs 4.30 crore among national-level players.

He presented Rs 2.50 crore to athlete Sawan Barwal for winning silver in the men's marathon at the Asian Games-2026 held in Japan, while Seema Kumari received Rs 1.50 crore for winning bronze in the 10,000-metre race.

Four Himachal Pradesh players - Ritu Negi, Pushpa Rana, Jyoti Thakur and Bhawna Thakur - who were part of India's gold medal-winning women's kabaddi team, received Rs one crore each.

The Chief Minister also presented Rs one crore to state cricketer Renuka Thakur.

Congratulating the awardees, Sukhu said their achievements were the result of years of hard work, dedication, guidance from coaches and sacrifices made by their families.

He said sports played an important role in the overall development of young people by inculcating discipline, self-confidence and leadership qualities.

The government had increased the award money for Olympic, Winter Olympic and Paralympic gold medal winners from Rs three crore to Rs five crore. Silver medal winners would now receive Rs three crore instead of Rs two crore, while the bronze medal award had been increased from Rs one crore to Rs two crore.

Similarly, the award for Asian Games and Para Asian Games gold medal winners had been enhanced from Rs 50 lakh to Rs four crore. Silver medal winners would receive Rs 2.50 crore instead of Rs 30 lakh, while bronze medal winners would get Rs 1.50 crore instead of Rs 20 lakh.

The Chief Minister said every player winning a medal in a team event would receive at least 25 per cent of the total award money, a provision approved by the State Cabinet.

He also announced an incentive of Rs three lakh each for national-level coaches and international referees, acknowledging their contribution to the success of athletes.

Sukhu announced that the Khelo Himachal Campaign would begin in Dharamshala on November 20 with the objective of engaging young people in sports and creating awareness about the harmful effects of drug abuse, particularly chitta.

The campaign would organise cricket, volleyball and kabaddi competitions at sub-divisional, district and state levels for participants aged between 15 and 30 years.

At the state level, the winning team would receive Rs 21 lakh, the runner-up Rs 15 lakh and the third-placed team Rs 10 lakh.

At the district level, the first, second and third-placed teams would receive Rs two lakh, Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs one lakh, respectively.

The Chief Minister said the campaign was part of the government's broader commitment to making Himachal Pradesh a drug-free state by 2027.

He launched the campaign's official website and unveiled its mascot.

Sukhu said the government was creating employment opportunities for sportspersons through government posts in the Youth, Services and Sports Department.

He said a new post of Assistant District Sports Officer had been created and the government was also working to integrate international and national-level female athletes into sports departments through recruitment opportunities.

The Chief Minister said a modern indoor stadium was being developed at Nadaun in Hamirpur district at an estimated cost of Rs 170 crore.

The facility would provide international-standard infrastructure for around 14 sports, including swimming, badminton, volleyball, tennis, table tennis and boxing. He said stadiums were also being constructed at various locations across the state to provide better training and practice facilities to athletes in rural and urban areas.

Youth, Services and Sports Minister Yadvinder Goma said it was a proud day for Himachal Pradesh and that the government was committed to building a strong sports system to provide talented players with better opportunities.

Indian women's kabaddi team captain Pushpa Rana thanked the Chief Minister for honouring national and international sportspersons and increasing the financial rewards for their achievements.

Speaking to ANI, Rana said the recognition would motivate athletes to prepare better for international competitions.

'First of all, I would like to thank the Chief Minister for honouring all the medal-winning players at international as well as national level and giving them respect. I feel this will motivate them a lot,' she said.

Rana said the enhanced financial incentives would help athletes prepare for future international competitions.

She said the kabaddi players had also received the Asian Games award amount and thanked the government for respecting their demands.

However, she said the World Cup award announced for the players was still pending.

'The World Cup award has been skipped. Rs one crore was announced for Renuka Thakur and the same amount was announced for us at that time, but we have not received it yet. I feel that if we speak to the Chief Minister, something can be done. I am hopeful,' Rana said.

She said the award amount for Asian Games achievements had been increased from Rs 33 lakh to Rs one crore, which was a major encouragement for kabaddi players.

Rana also stressed the need for government employment for sportspersons, saying athletes required a stable career after years of dedication to sports.

'Our sporting career has already been around 14-15 years. To become stable in life, having a job is very important. We can continue playing sports for a certain period, but a job is necessary for our future,' she said.

She expressed hope that the government would consider their employment demands.

Health Minister Dr (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil, Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, former HPCC president Pratibha Singh, Sports Council Vice-Chairman Chhatar Singh Thakur, Kailash Federation Chairman Baldev Singh Thakur, Secretary Priyanka Basu Ingty, Director Youth, Services and Sports Shivam Pratap Singh and other dignitaries were present. (ANI)