Kabaddi Gold Medalists Demand Fair Prize Money from Maharashtra Government
Indian kabaddi players express dissatisfaction with the prize money awarded by the Maharashtra government after their Asian Games victory.
Mumbai, October 13 (Daily Kiran) : Indian kabaddi players who recently won gold medals at the 2026 Asian Games have expressed their dissatisfaction with the prize money awarded by the Maharashtra government. On Tuesday, players led by Aslam Inamdar and Sonali Shinget submitted a memorandum to Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister Sunetra Pawar.
In a conversation with reporters, Inamdar explained, “We met with Sports Minister Sunetra Pawar and presented our memorandum. We requested her to consider the discrepancies between the prize policies implemented for the Asian Games and the current one. If we look at the policies of other states, different rewards are set for various sports. Winning a gold medal earns 3 crore rupees, a silver medal 2 crore, and a bronze medal 1 crore. In the last Asian Games, I received 75 lakh rupees for a team event, while the individual event had a prize of 1 crore. Now, the policy has changed. According to the new government resolution issued on September 17, the prize for team events with more than 10 players is set at 5 crore rupees, which will be divided among all players. This means each player in our team event will receive around 42 lakh rupees.”
He added, “We conveyed this to Sports Minister Sunetra Pawar. She listened attentively and assured us that we would see positive results soon. We are hopeful because we approached her with expectations. We will fight for our rights, but we believe we will receive a favorable outcome.”
Inamdar emphasized that most players come from middle-class families. He stated, “When an athlete builds a career in sports and represents the Indian team, they hope to achieve financial stability and secure a good job. Every athlete works hard and struggles with this hope. I believe if all states have robust sports policies or if a uniform sports policy is implemented across states, parents will be more encouraged to support their children in pursuing sports.”
Meanwhile, female kabaddi player Sonali Shinget shared her experience, saying, “We met with Sunitra Ma’am and informed her that I participated in the World Cup last year. Under the previous government policy, I received 2 crore 25 lakh rupees. However, the prize money under the new policy has significantly decreased. This change is not positive for players and could lead to mental distress and lowered morale. If players receive adequate financial support, they can focus more on their sport. We hope for a positive response. If we do not receive a favorable reply, we will meet with her again and also approach the Chief Minister.”
