Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma felicitates CWG 2026 medal winners, distributes cash rewards
Jaipur, August 9
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma felicitated the state's medal winners from the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and other international championships at a ceremony held at the Constitution Club of Rajasthan.
The sportspersons were honoured on Saturday for their performances at the Commonwealth Games and other international championships, with the state government presenting incentive cheques in recognition of their achievements.
Among those felicitated was boxer Arundhati Choudhary, who won gold in the women's 70kg category at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The Kota-born boxer was awarded Rs 1 crore for her gold-medal-winning performance.
CWG bronze medallist javelin thrower Yashvir Singh was awarded Rs 30 lakh, while Indian para-shooter Mona Agarwal, who won bronze at the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup in Novi Sad, Serbia, received Rs 2 lakh.
Mona secured the bronze medal in the R2 women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event with a score of 228.2.
Wrestler Sandhya Bishnoi, who won silver in the 46kg category at the U-17 World Wrestling Championships 2026, was awarded Rs 11,000.
"I am very happy. I will aim to win the gold medal next time. My father and coach have provided immense support," Bishnoi told ANI.
Speaking at the felicitation ceremony, Sharma said the country's sporting culture was gaining momentum due to the government's sports policies and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma shared a post on X and wrote, "Under the visionary leadership of the esteemed Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji and his strong sports policies, the sports culture in the country is gaining a new direction and strength today, as a result of which our players are enhancing India's prestige by hoisting the tricolor on global platforms."
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Jogaram Patel, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Rathore and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports K.K. Vishnoi were also present at the ceremony along with the sportspersons.
Arundhati produced a dominant display in the women's 70kg final in Glasgow, defeating England's Chantelle Reid 5-0 by unanimous decision to claim one of India's seven boxing gold medals at the Games.
India enjoyed a historic campaign in boxing, finishing atop the medal standings with seven gold and three silver medals. The 10-medal haul surpassed the previous Commonwealth Games record of six boxing gold medals jointly held by England and Canada.
Besides Arundhati, India's gold medallists in boxing were Sachin Siwach, Jaismine Lamboria, Preeti Pawar, Sakshi Chaudhary, Priya Ghanghas and Ankush Panghal. Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain, Narender Berwal and Jadumani Singh won silver medals.
India concluded its Commonwealth Games 2026 campaign in Glasgow with 39 medals -- 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze -- to finish fourth in the overall standings.
The Glasgow Games also marked the beginning of India's journey towards hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, with the Commonwealth Games flag ceremonially handed over during the closing ceremony.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Really appreciate the recognition given to para-athletes like Mona Agarwal too. The Rs 2 lakh for her world cup bronze is a start, but I feel para-athletes deserve more support and visibility. They face extra challenges and their achievements are equally commendable. Hope the government increases funding for para-sports going forward.
Good to see Rajasthan govt honouring our champions. But I noticed wrestler Sandhya Bishnoi got only Rs 11,000 for her U-17 World Championship silver. That's quite less compared to others. I get that CWG and World Cups are bigger stages, but junior athletes also need encouragement at the right time. They are the future.
Shabash! India's boxing performance at the Commonwealth Games was exceptional. Seven gold medals is a historic achievement. The sports ecosystem in India is definitely improving with the right policies. Also, good to see Rajasthan's CM taking a personal interest in felicitating athletes. Khelo India and other schemes are paying off.
As a fellow Rajasthani, I'm so proud of Arundhati! Young women from our state are breaking barriers. Her 5-0 victory against England's boxer shows her dominance. But I wish more attention was given to the junior athletes too. Sandhya's 11k reward feels like a token gesture. Our future champions need proper investment from the start. 🙏
Good that we're acknowledging our athletes, but honestly, the cash rewards should be consistent across the board. A CWG bronze gets 30 lakhs and a junior world championship silver gets 11k? The gap
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