DW BUREAU / CHANDIGARH

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini inaugurated the 6th State-Level Khel 'Mahakumbh' at Panchkula's Tau Devi Lal Stadium on Saturday. The sporting event will see participation from 15,410 athletes competing across 26 sports. Saini said the 'Khel Mahakumbh' is not just a sporting event, but a powerful platform that nurtures young dreams and propels them towards national and global recognition.

Addressing a gathering in Panchkula, the chief minister said the 'Khel Mahakumbh' initiative gives emerging athletes state-level exposure and prepares them for future national and international competitions.

Highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games in India and establishing the country as a sporting superpower, Saini said Haryana is taking proactive steps in that direction. "We have already begun preparations at scale. I am confident that Haryana will contribute the maximum number of medals to the national tally in 2036," he added.

He also underscored the state's ambition of transforming every village into a "cradle of sporting excellence", where at least one athlete emerges to represent the nation on the global stage. Our long-term vision isn't just to make Haryana India's sports capital, but the world's, he said.

Saini said apart from the 'Khel Mahakumbh,' Haryana has rolled out an annual sports calendar packed with competitions such as traditional 'akhada dangal', boxing, volleyball, athletics, badminton, swimming, basketball, taekwondo, gymnastics, and handball, among others.

"Ten years ago, we envisioned connecting every child to sports, building playgrounds in every village, and providing the youth with real opportunities. Today, that vision is becoming a reality," said Saini.

Saini said that because of its robust sports policy and development efforts at the grassroots, Haryana has earned a reputation as the "nursery of Indian sports." From the Olympics to the Asian and Commonwealth Games, the state's athletes have consistently made the nation proud, he said.

He said that in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, four of India's seven medals were won by athletes from Haryana. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, five out of the six medals won by India went to Haryana players. In the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, 82 athletes from the state participated, securing 28 of India's 111 medals.

Similarly, at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Haryana's athletes brought home 20 medals, said the chief minister.

Saini emphasised that the 'Khel Mahakumbh' serves as a launch pad for the young talent aspiring to build a future in sports. To foster this ambition from an early age, the state has set up 1,489 sports nurseries where 37,225 children currently receive training, financial support, and mentorship, he said. "Children aged 8-?14 receive Rs 1,500 per month, while those aged 15-?19 are given Rs 2,000 per month to support their training," he said.

Saini said that to ensure career security for top-performing athletes, the state implemented the Haryana Outstanding Player Service Rules, 2021, creating 550 new posts in the sports department. So far, 224 athletes have been offered government jobs, with reservations extended from Class I to Class IV positions, he said.

Saini said Haryana is also recognised for offering the highest cash rewards to medal-winning athletes in India. The government has disbursed Rs 593 crore in cash prizes to date.

(editor@dailyworld.in)