Patna: The Bihar government will honour outstanding sportspersons at a state-level function at Urja Auditorium in Patna on Friday, where appointment letters under the ‘Medal Lao, Naukri Pao’ scheme, sports scholarship selection letters and cash awards will be distributed to athletes who have excelled at the national and international levels.
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary will preside over the event. Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav, along with Sports Minister Shreyasi Singh, are also expected to attend.
19 Athletes To Receive Government Jobs
Bihar State Sports Authority Director General and CEO Ravindran Shankaran said appointment letters would be handed over to 19 outstanding sportspersons this year.
Among them are India fast bowlers Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar, who will be appointed as Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), while athlete Piyush Raj will receive an appointment as a Police Sub-Inspector (SI). The list also includes five para-athletes and several other sportspersons from different disciplines.
Shankaran said the state government has provided government employment to 180 athletes across various sports over the past two years.
Cash Awards For International Achievements
The government will also felicitate athletes who have delivered notable performances at international competitions under the state’s Sports Honour Scheme.
Setu Mishra, who won gold and silver medals at the Asian Under-23 Athletics Championships 2026 and became Bihar’s first athlete to win an international athletics gold medal, will receive a cash award of Rs 37.5 lakh.
Vibhaskar Kumar, who represented India at the same championship, will be awarded Rs two lakh, while Meharyam Fatima, bronze medallist in the blitz event at the Commonwealth Youth Chess Championship 2026, will receive Rs nine lakh.
Scholarships For 637 Athletes
The state government will also issue scholarship selection letters to 637 athletes under the Bihar Sports Scholarship Scheme 2026.
The beneficiaries include 21 athletes under the Utkarsh scheme, 184 under Saksham, and 432 under Prerna. Of the athletes selected under the Prerna scheme, 269 were identified through the statewide Mashaal Talent Search Programme.
According to the Bihar State Sports Authority, the scholarship schemes provide financial assistance for coaching, nutrition, sports equipment, participation in competitions and sports science support, with annual assistance ranging from Rs three lakh to Rs 20 lakh depending on the category.
Focus On Sports Development
Shankaran said the government’s initiatives are aimed at providing athletes with financial security, quality training and improved sporting infrastructure while strengthening Bihar’s position as an emerging sporting state.
