logo
CM Highlights UP Leads In Promotion Of Sport, Over 500 Athletes Given Govt Jobs

CM Highlights UP Leads In Promotion Of Sport, Over 500 Athletes Given Govt Jobs

News18a day ago
Last Updated:
Yogi Adityanath noted UP's leadership in offering government jobs to medal-winning athletes at state-level championships, highlighting sports infrastructure development.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated on Tuesday that the state has become a national leader in providing government jobs to medal-winning athletes.
He made these remarks at the closing ceremony of the two-day state-level wrestling championship held at the Gorakhnath Temple during Nag Panchami celebrations.
Adityanath mentioned that significant development in sports infrastructure has taken place in Uttar Pradesh over the past eight years, including the construction of playgrounds in villages, mini-stadiums at the block level, and full-fledged stadiums in districts.
He added that the state has simultaneously introduced attractive cash rewards and employment opportunities for athletes excelling at both national and international levels.
What Did Yogi Adityanath Say?
'Simultaneously, the state has introduced attractive cash rewards and employment opportunities for athletes excelling at the national and international levels," he said.
Highlighting the state's achievements, Adityanath said: 'Over 500 medal-winning athletes who have brought laurels to India and Uttar Pradesh in events such as the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and World Championships have been given government jobs.
'UP leads the country in this regard," he said in an official statement.
The Chief Minister also praised the contribution of Uttar Pradesh Police athletes in securing a third-place finish for India in the Police World Championship.
Drawing from India's ancient ethos, he emphasised the importance of physical well-being and said sports are a highly effective means to ensure physical fitness, which should be integrated into daily life.
He remarked that when young individuals pursue sports professionally, they not only uplift themselves but also bring pride to their family, society, and the nation.
Adityanath acknowledged the long-standing tradition of organizing wrestling bouts at the Gorakhnath Temple during Nag Panchami, describing it as a centuries-old practice that now serves as a major platform for young wrestlers from across the state.
He also watched the final bouts of the championship and distributed prizes to winners and runners-up across three categories.
First Published:
July 29, 2025, 23:01 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

India dreams live on as ex-goalie finds his goal as coach
India dreams live on as ex-goalie finds his goal as coach

Time of India

time5 hours ago

  • Time of India

India dreams live on as ex-goalie finds his goal as coach

Chandigarh: Sixteen years ago, Baljit Singh's dream was shattered by a golf ball. A training accident during a national camp in 2009 left one of India's most promising hockey goalkeepers blind in his right eye. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It was a cruel blow to his career, a man once poised to represent India at the 2010 World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, and the 2012 London Olympics was suddenly left staring at a life he hadn't imagined. In a full-circle moment that speaks of resilience and passion, Baljit Singh is back, not on the field, but as the goalkeeping coach for the Indian Women's National Hockey Team. And gradually, a new dream began to take root, not of playing, but of mentoring. "The dream I couldn't live, I will realise through the players I coach," he says. Appointed in July 2025, Baljit has joined the Bangalore camp. This marks a long-overdue recognition for a man who never truly left the game, even when the game seemed to have left him. Born and brought up in Chandigarh, with roots in Hoshiarpur, Baljit's tryst with hockey began in 1995. By the late '90s, he had earned a place in the under-17 and then under-21 Indian teams, showcasing early promise with international exposure in Poland. But just as his career gained momentum, a shoulder injury in 2002 threatened to derail it. Yet, resilience was in his blood. He bounced back, and by 2006 was guarding the goalpost at the Commonwealth Games. In 2007, he played the prestigious Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, earning the reputation as one of India's best goalkeepers. His game in the Premier Hockey League for the Maratha Warriors had already marked him as one to watch. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Then came that ill-fated day in 2009. Under coach Romeo James, Baljit was undergoing specialized reflex training using a golf ball, a technique meant to sharpen reactions. One shot, and everything changed. The ball struck his right eye with brutal force, blinding him permanently. Even treatment in the USA couldn't restore his vision 100%. With his playing days abruptly cut short, Baljit was left to pick up the pieces. His job with Indian Oil, secured in 2001, became his anchor. Still, the void of being away from the game gnawed at him. "In 2017-18, I stopped playing entirely. It felt like something was weighing down on me," he recalls. The support of his family, close friends, and his coach Jaswinder Singh Bajwa held him through the darkest times. And in a moment of inspiration, cricket legend Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who himself played with impaired vision in one eye, told him, "If I could do it, so can you." That moment stayed with Baljit. He began practicing again. Playing domestic matches restored his belief. Hockey India, recognising his contribution, instituted the Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year, awarding ₹5,00,000 annually. But more importantly, it was this recent appointment to the Indian Women's National Team that truly honoured his journey. "Staying close to hockey is like breathing for me. It's something I live and feel every single day," he says. As a coach, his mission is clear, to mould the next generation of world-class Indian goalkeepers. "We are preparing Bansari Solanki and Bichu Devi Kharibam as possible replacements for Savita. But we need to build a deeper pool of talent," he says. "Out of 24 girls selected nationally, three are goalkeepers. We must cultivate more." For Baljit, coaching isn't just about skills. It's about building presence of mind, reflexes, and above all, leadership. As the team eyes the Asia Cup in September and the 2025 FIH Women's Junior World Cup, his focus is steady. Compared to his playing days, Baljit says the landscape has changed, improved budgets, foreign coaches, physiotherapists, and world-class infrastructure. But with competition from Asian teams like China and Japan, there's no room for complacency. "The role of a coach is to fix the nittygritties, the gaps a player might not see. As a player, your job ends after the match. But as a coach, the work never stops. You have to lift morale, shape character, and prepare for every eventuality." For Baljit Singh, this appointment isn't a job. It's redemption. It's the universe returning to him what it once took away. Not in the form of personal glory, but in the faces of the young women he now trains. Baljit's story reminds us of something greater, that while fate may alter the course of a dream, it can never kill it. Not when that dream is as vital as breath itself.

Lakshya, Ayush, Tharun and Rakshitha enter second round of Macau Open
Lakshya, Ayush, Tharun and Rakshitha enter second round of Macau Open

The Hindu

time5 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Lakshya, Ayush, Tharun and Rakshitha enter second round of Macau Open

Indian shuttlers Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty and Tharun Mannepalli progressed to the second round of the men's singles competition at the Macau Open Super 300 badminton tournament after registering fine wins here on Wednesday. Lakshya, the Commonwealth Games champion, brushed aside Korea's Jeon Hyeok Jin 21-8 21-14, while world No. 31 Ayush eased past Chinese Taipei's Huang Yu Kai 21-10 21-11. Tharun defeated fellow Indian Manraj Singh 21-19 21-13. Lakshya will next face Indonesia's Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo, Ayush will take on Malaysia's Justin Hoh, while Tharun has set up a second-round clash with top seed Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong. In women's singles, Rakshitha Ramraj emerged as the only Indian to make the cut for the second round after beating Thailand's Pornpicha Choeikeewong 18-21 21-17 22-20 in 63 minutes. In mixed doubles, fifth seeds Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, ranked 18th in the world, outclassed Thailand's Ratchapol Makkasasithorn and Nattamon Laisuan 21-10 21-15 in a brisk 26-minute encounter. In an all-Indian men's doubles clash, P Krishnamurthy Roy and S Pratheek K prevailed 21-18 21-19 over D Konthoujam and Amaan Mohammad to enter the second round. However, India's HS Prannoy made an early exit after losing 21-18 15-21 15-21 to Indonesia's Yohanes Saut Marcellyno in the men's singles opening round. It was also end of the road for Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, who went down to Malaysia's Justin Hoh 19-21 12-21 in a 37-minute pre-quarterfinal match. Rithvik Sanjeevi Satish Kumar sank without a trace, losing 16-21 8-21 to Chico in another match. In women's singles, Unnati Hooda — who had stunned two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu at the China Open last week — fought hard before going down 21-16 19-21 17-21 to Denmark's Julie Dawall Jakobsen in 59 minutes. Anupama Upadhyaya also found the going tough against Japan's Riko Gunji, losing 16-21 10-21. Sankar Subramanian and Aakarshi Kashyap suffered first-round defeats, losing 18-21 14-21 to China's Hu Zhe An and 14-21 16-21 to Japan's Nozomi Okuhara respectively, in men's and women's singles. Kiran George was no match for Hong Kong's Ng Ka Long Angus, losing 15-21 10-21 in 31 minutes. Anmol Kharb put up a spirited performance before going down 21-23 11-21 to Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan. Former junior world No. 1 Tasnim Mir was outclassed 6-21 14-21 by Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei in just 27 minutes. In mixed doubles, Thandrangini Hema Nagendra Babu and Priya Konjengbam lost 11-21 14-21 to Thailand's Phuwanat Horbanluekit and Fungfa Korpthammakit. Ayush Agarwal and Shruti Mishra also bowed out in the opening round, going down 10-21 11-21 to Indonesia's Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja. India suffered another setback in mixed doubles, with the 34th-ranked pair of Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde losing to Chinese Taipei's Wu Guan Xun and Lee Chia Hsin 20-22 17-21 in a 37-minute contest.

No Pakistan Cricket Team In 2028 Olympics, Claims Report. India To Qualify On The Basis Of...
No Pakistan Cricket Team In 2028 Olympics, Claims Report. India To Qualify On The Basis Of...

NDTV

time7 hours ago

  • NDTV

No Pakistan Cricket Team In 2028 Olympics, Claims Report. India To Qualify On The Basis Of...

In a major blow, Pakistan men's cricket team is likely to not qualify for the upcoming Olympics that is set to take place in 2028 in Los Angeles. As per a report, the International Cricket Council, the apex ruling body of the sport, has decided to go with the regional qualifying format, which will see teams like Pakistan and New Zealand missing out on the event as cricket makes it return to Olympics after a long gap of 128 years. As per the report, number 1 ranked men's team in Asia, Oceania, Europe and Africa will earn an automatic qualification for the tournament along with hosts USA, who would represent the Americas. "India and Australia to be awarded spots from Asia and Oceania respectively based on the ICC rankings. The International Olympic Committee favours regional qualifying to ensure all parts of the world are represented at the Games so it is a truly global event," said The Guardian in a report. With USA set to qualify on the basis of being the hosts, West Indies' chances are also dim. "That would have implications for West Indian islands hoping to compete," the report further stated. A total of six teams will be selected for the event. While qualification for five spots has been finalised, the process for the sixth team is yet to be determined, said the report. Cricket's much-hyped return to the Olympics at LA Games will take shape at the Fairgrounds Stadium in the city of Pomena -- about 50km from Los Angeles -- from July 12 with the medal matches scheduled on July 20 and 29, 2028. A total of six teams each in men's and women's sections and 180 players will compete in the T20 format in the quadrennial showpiece, which hosted cricket for the first and only time in 1900. There are no matches scheduled on July 14 and 21 and most of the the matchdays will be double headers, according to the competition schedule released by the organisers. The only time the gentleman's game was played at the Olympics was in Paris way back in 1900. Only two teams, Great Britain and France, competed in a two-day match with the former winning the gold medal. With a total of 90 athlete quotas allocated in the men's and women's sections, the 12 competing teams can name 15-member squads. Cricket's growing popularity can be gauged from the fact that three venues in the United States -- Grand Prairie, Lauderhill, and New York -- organised several matches of the 2024 T20 World Cup, jointly hosted by USA and the West Indies. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had approved cricket, baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes) and squash as five new sports to feature at the 2028 Games.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store