Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Saturday felicitated the medallists from state for their achievements at the 38th National Games at a special ceremony at the Kalinga Stadium Tennis Centre.
The athletes were honoured with cash awards and certificates by the Sports and Youth Services department. While gold medallists received a cash award of Rs 6 lakh each, silver medallists got Rs 4 lakh. Similarly, bronze medal recipients received Rs 3 lakh.
Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, who was the chief guest at the event, praised the athletes for their remarkable achievements. The Minister said that Odisha secured the 12th position among the top 15 states in the country in the 38th National Games.
“Our athletes are our pride. The essence of sports lies in celebrating victories and using defeats as motivation to achieve greater success. This achievement at the National Games will inspire many young athletes in Odisha,” he said.
The minister outlined that State athletes would continue to bring glory to the state by excelling in upcoming national and international sports competitions.
“Our government is committed to the holistic development of sports and athletes. The government has decided to construct block-level stadiums in Odisha. Our focus is to nurture grassroot level sporting talent. The government will continue to provide all necessary support for the development of sports in Odisha,” he added.
Principal Secretary to the Sports and Youth Affairs Department Bhaskar Jyoti Sharma, Director Deepankar Mahapatra, Additional Secretary Bijay Kumar Swain, Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Panda, senior officials and representatives from various sports associations were present in the event today
Medal-winning athletes expressed their gratitude for the government’s support, stating that the felicitation ceremony would further motivate them to strive for excellence.
The 38th National Games were held in Uttarakhand from January 28 to February 14. The next edition, the 39th National Games, is scheduled to be held in Meghalaya in 2027.
