Chandigarh, November 2: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini inaugurated the 27th Haryana State Games at Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Gurugram on Sunday evening, declaring that the state’s youth, sports infrastructure, and facilities are together scripting a new era of sporting excellence. The event, organized under the aegis of the Haryana Olympic Association, aims to discover and develop sports talent from every village and city, taking them to the global stage.
Chief Minister Saini said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the world now recognizes India as a rising sports powerhouse, with Haryana playing a decisive role. “The 27th Haryana State Games is not just a competition but a commitment to identify, train, and elevate players from grassroots to the international level,” he said, expressing confidence that many of the state’s young athletes will bring Olympic glory in 2028, 2032, and 2036.
Indian Olympic Association President and MP P.T. Usha graced the event as the chief guest along with Haryana Olympic Association President Captain Jaswinder “Meenu” Beniwal, Padma Shri awardees, Arjuna awardees, and other distinguished athletes. The opening ceremony also featured the unveiling of the mascot “Mahabali Cheetah” and the event’s theme song “Maati te Medal Upjen Chhore Chhori Haryana ke”, symbolizing the speed, courage, and spirit of victory of Haryana’s athletes.
CM Saini highlighted the state’s vast sports ecosystem, revealing that 1,489 sports nurseries are currently functional with over 37,225 young athletes receiving professional training. Players aged 8–14 receive ₹1,500 per month, while those aged 15–19 get ₹2,000 monthly. Coaches are paid an honorarium of up to ₹25,000. “Over the last 11 years, the Haryana government has awarded ₹641 crore in cash prizes to our players,” Saini said. “Under the Haryana Outstanding Player Service Rules, 550 new posts have been created to ensure secure employment for athletes.”
P.T. Usha praised Haryana’s sporting culture, saying, “The soil of Haryana is filled with courage, determination, and strength. It has produced world-class athletes who have brought immense pride to India. The synergy between the state government and the Haryana Olympic Association has created a golden era for sports.”
Haryana Olympic Association President Captain Jaswinder Meenu Beniwal called the event a “Diwali of sports,” saying that after more than a decade, the youth of Haryana are witnessing a grand revival of sporting spirit under CM Saini’s leadership. He expressed hope that the participants of the State Games will one day make India’s national anthem echo on the Olympic stage.
The 27th Haryana State Games, themed “Mitti se Medal Tak” (From Soil to Medal), will feature 24 sporting events across nine districts of Haryana, as well as Delhi and Chandigarh, with over 6,000 athletes participating. The closing ceremony will take place in Kurukshetra on November 8.
Competitions are being held across various locations — hockey, athletics, handball, and table tennis in Gurugram; archery, weightlifting, fencing, and tennis in Faridabad; netball, wrestling, karate, and judo in Sonipat; yoga and cycling in Kurukshetra; kabaddi, basketball, volleyball, and badminton in Panchkula; triathlon and water polo in Jhajjar; boxing in Rohtak; football in Karnal; shooting in New Delhi; and rowing in Chandigarh.
Prominent attendees included MP Dharambir Singh, Asian Canoeing Association President Prashant Kushwaha, MLAs Bimla Chaudhary, Pawan Kharkhoda, and Randhir Singh Panihar, former minister Sanjay Singh, BJP District President Sarvapriya Tyagi, DC Ajay Kumar, and Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya, along with senior officials and sports dignitaries.
