Union minister Mandaviya felicitates Chandigarh's top athletes
The sports department of the Chandigarh administration organised a felicitation ceremony on Saturday to honour athletes who have brought glory to the city at national and international levels, and distributed cash awards and scholarships.
The event was presided over by Union minister for labour, employment, youth affairs and sports Mansukh Mandaviya, and Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria.
The Union minister assured full support from the Union government to further enhance Chandigarh's sports infrastructure. 'We will ensure that the best coaches are made available in Chandigarh. Furthermore, we will develop a multiplex sports infrastructure where multiple disciplines can be practiced within an integrated complex,' he said.
Kataria commended the sports department for its dedicated efforts in organizing the event and building a dynamic sports culture in Chandigarh.
Kataria announced that Chandigarh is the first city in the country to distribute scholarships worth nearly ₹20 crore to student athletes so far. He also appreciated the efforts of sports associations and organisations in consistently organising competitive sporting events across the city.
Scholarships amounting to ₹1.32 crore were transferred to 320 athletes through an online platform, ensuring greater transparency and administrative efficiency. In addition, award money worth ₹5.67 crore was presented to 448 sportspersons, including eight international and 23 national-level athletes, with special recognition being given to para athletes for their exceptional contributions.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was also signed during the event between the department of education, UT administration, and the Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust, under the aegis of the FIVB Volleyball Foundation (Switzerland) and Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB). The MoU aims to strengthen volleyball infrastructure across 108 schools in the city, furthering access and excellence.
New sports projects inaugurated
As part of the day's events, Mandaviya inaugurated several key sports infrastructure projects, including modern chess centres at the sports complexes in Sector 8 and Sector 39, and a state-of-the-art snooker and billiards hall at Sector 42, constructed at a cost of ₹6 crore. These additions signify Chandigarh's progress towards providing global-standard training facilities to its athletes.
The ceremony also witnessed the official unveiling of the logo and tagline for Chandigarh Marathon 2025, setting the stage for one of the city's premier fitness and sporting events.
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