SportsPosted at: Oct 15 2026 12:30AM


Haryana ministers honour Asian Games gold medallist shooter Neeru Dhanda, announce Rs 45 lakh reward

Jind, Oct 14 (UNI) Asian Games gold medallist shooter Neeru Dhanda was felicitated by three senior Haryana leaders at a ceremony in her native village Sangatpura in Jind district, with each announcing a cash reward of Rs 15 lakh, taking the total to Rs 45 lakh, even as they urged her to set her sights on the Olympics.
Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda, Cabinet Minister Ranbir Gangwa and Deputy Speaker of the Haryana Assembly Dr Krishan Lal Middha attended the event to honour the shooter, who won gold competing against athletes from 45 countries. All three praised her perseverance, discipline and dedication, with Dhanda stating that her success was a matter of pride for the entire nation, not just one athlete.
Dhanda said Neeru’s rise from an ordinary family to international glory through hard work and determination was an inspiration for every girl in Haryana.
He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sports promotion schemes, including Khelo India, for creating opportunities for athletes, and urged Neeru to begin preparing for the Olympics.
He also appealed to parents to recognise their children’s talent and encourage them in their chosen fields. Gangwa said Neeru’s achievement would motivate other girls in the state to pursue sports and realise their dreams, while Middha stressed that every medal hid years of struggle, sacrifice and family support that must be acknowledged. Neeru, in turn, urged aspiring sportspersons to never give up, saying a player’s spirit alone could take them to their destination.
During the ceremony, Dhanda highlighted the state government’s sports infrastructure push, noting that around 1,500 sports nurseries had been set up in schools to provide early training and that state- and national-level players were being given diet allowances.
He said talented athletes were being provided training, resources and opportunities to prepare for high-level competitions. The Education Minister also detailed developments in the education sector over the past 12 years, stating that government school examination results had risen to 92 per cent and nearly 38,000 rooms had been constructed in government schools.
He said approximately Rs 700 crore would be spent on further strengthening infrastructure, with new buildings planned for 2,000 schools. He added that the new National Education Policy would foster creativity, skill development and practical abilities among students to realise the vision of a self-reliant India.
Dhanda also announced that Asian Games medallists would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, following which the Haryana government would host a separate felicitation ceremony for all medal winners. He assured villagers that their development demands would be examined for feasibility and addressed in accordance with the rules.
Prominent among those present were BJP district president Tejendra Dhul, IAS officer Jaybir Arya, Dhanda khap pradhan Devvart Arya, Dr Raj Saini, Kuldeep Randhawa, Somveer Pahalwan, Surendra Panwar, Sunil Sarpanch, DSO Rohtas, DEO Munni Devi, Neeru’s parents Suresh Kumar and Sudesh, and a large number of khap representatives and villagers.
UNI KK RN
Tags: #Haryana ministers honour Asian Games gold medallist shooter Neeru Dhanda# announce Rs 45 lakh reward
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