Patna: Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set to present government jobs and cash awards to the state’s top athletes under a major recognition scheme. On Sunday, the Chief Minister will distribute selection letters to 87 medal-winning athletes, including 39 women and 48 men, as part of the “Medal Lao, Naukri Pao” initiative.
The awards ceremony will be held at the State Sports Academy in Rajgir, where CM Nitish will also hand out approximately Rs 7.43 crore in State Sports Awards to 813 individuals. The recipients include athletes, coaches, sports associations, and officials who have excelled in national and international competitions across 44 sports disciplines.
Under the scheme, 87 athletes who secured medals in national and international events this year will be appointed to government positions ranging from Class One roles to other categories, depending on their qualifications. Among them, ten athletes—eight women—will become Sub-Inspectors of Police, one will be appointed as a Child Welfare Officer, 65 as Lower Division Clerks, and 11 as Office Attendants.
Ravindra Shankar, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Bihar State Sports Authority, said the scheme recognises the contribution of athletes while providing them stable employment opportunities.
This year’s awards also honour 152 para-athletes, 631 athletes, 24 coaches, five sports associations, and one sports official. Of the athletes, 297 are women and 486 men. Since 2022, the Bihar government has awarded around Rs 23.5 crore to 2,085 outstanding athletes under similar initiatives.
