MP News: Winners Of Khelo MP Youth Games 2023 Yet To Get Prize Money

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The second edition of Khelo Madhya Pradesh Youth Games 2025-26, organised by the Directorate of Sports and Youth Welfare, concluded recently. However, the prize money of the winners of the first edition of the Games, organised in 2023, still remains unpaid.

None of the players who had secured the first, second and third positions in water sports in 2023 have received their prize money. As many as 33 players from across the state had secured the first three positions in Kayaking and Canoeing competitions in the Khelo MP Youth Games 2023. All of them are waiting for their prize money.

In individual sports, the prize money of the players who secured the first place was Rs 51,000 while it was Rs 31,000 and Rs 21,000 for the second and the third place winners respectively. In team games, the first place winner s prize money was Rs 5 lakh, while Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh were to be awarded for the second and third place winners respectively.

"I won three medals including one gold, one silver and one bronze in the 2023 games. And my total prize money was around Rs 70,000 but I am yet to receive it." said a kayaking player, adding that "I have been making enquiries about it. Earlier I was told that the prize money will be paid soon but now I say Bhul Jao." The player further said that she didn t get prize money for the senior national game, held in Uttarakhand last year.

Similarly, another canoeing player said, "I won a gold medal in the first edition of the Khelo MP Youth games 2023 but still I haven t received the prize money."

After the success of Khelo India Youth Games held for the first time in Bhopal, the then Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had announced the prize money. The games, designed to promote local talent, featured 24 sports across 7 cities, with Indore emerging as the overall champion.

They are not entitled

B S Yadav, joint director, Sports Department said, "According to rules, players standing first in a tournament can be given prize money only if there are at least four competitors. Similarly, the number of contestants has to be a minimum of eight and 16 respectively for awarding prize money to the 2nd and 3rd winners. If there are just two competitors, we can t give prize money to both."