7th National Master Games begin in Dharamsala

The Minister for Technical Education, Rajesh Dharmani, inaugurated the 7th National Master Games at the Synthetic Track Stadium in Dharamsala today. The event saw participation from athletes across the country and was marked by a vibrant march past and cultural performances.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Dharmani emphasized the state government’s commitment to promoting sports and supporting athletes. He highlighted that Himachal Pradesh has now matched Punjab and Haryana in terms of the honorarium given to international-level players. “Players who brought glory to the country in the past are now being recognized and rewarded under the new sports policy, encouraging more youth to pursue sports,” he said.

Dharmani added that the state government would remain sensitive to the sentiments of athletes. “When our players succeed internationally, Himachal Pradesh gains recognition too,” he said.

He also announced a significant increase in the prize money for medal winners. The reward for Olympic, Winter Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists has been raised from Rs 3 crore to Rs 5 crore. Silver medalists will now receive Rs 3 crore, up from Rs 2 crore, and bronze medalists will get Rs 2 crore, up from Rs 1 crore.

In the Asian and Para Asian Games category, gold medal winners will now receive Rs 4 crore instead of Rs 50 lakh. Silver medalists will be awarded Rs 2.5 crore, up from Rs 30 lakh, and bronze medalists will get Rs 1.5 crore, a substantial jump from Rs 20 lakh.

Welcoming the chief guest, Master Games CEO Vinod Kumar expressed gratitude to the government and police administration for their support in organising the national-level event. He informed that the event will conclude on April 26.

On the opening day, the chief guest also presented medals to the winners of the first day’s competitions. Dignitaries present on the occasion included Advisory Board Chairman Jagdish and ASP Veer Bahadur.