Punjab’s flagship sporting initiative, ‘Khedan Wattan Punjab Diyan-2026’, began from Bathinda on Saturday, with CM Bhagwant Singh Mann setting an ambitious vision of taking Punjab’s sporting talent to the global stage. The fourth season will bring nearly 10 lakh players aged 14 to over 70 years into 39 sporting disciplines, including four para-sports, while connecting generations and nurturing talent from villages and cities across the state. The event will conclude in Patiala on November 29, with ₹12.50 crore in prize money for winners, including cash awards for veteran players for the first time.
On the occasion, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann also honoured Commonwealth Games-2026 silver medallists Harjinder Kaur and Lovepreet Singh with ₹50 lakh each, reaffirming the state government’s commitment to building a strong sporting ecosystem and providing Punjab’s youth with opportunities to excel.
The fourth season of ‘Khedan Wattan Punjab Diyan-2026’ began with great fervour and enthusiasm at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium, Bathinda, celebrating Punjab’s rich sporting and cultural spirit. The opening ceremony featured vibrant cultural performances, including Bhangra and Giddha, showcasing the state’s rich heritage and its deep-rooted connection with sports. Legendary Punjabi artist Gurdas Maan, and Kulwinder Billa also performed at the ceremony, adding to the grandeur and festive atmosphere of the mega sporting event.
The celebrations were further marked by a symbolic moment as CM Bhagwant Singh Mann and legendary Gurdas Maan jointly released colourful balloons into the sky, formally commemorating the beginning of the fourth season. The ceremony brought together Punjab’s sporting passion, cultural heritage and youthful energy in a vibrant celebration.
Sharing a few snippets from this event, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated on X: “Today, the fourth season of ‘Khedan Wattan Punjab Diyan-2026’ was grandly inaugurated at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium in Bathinda. This year, the target is to bring around 10 lakh players onto the playing fields across 39 sports. Prize money of ₹12.50 crore has been earmarked for the winners, and for the first time, veteran players will also receive cash prizes. From the same platform today, Commonwealth Games-2026 medal winners Harjinder Kaur and Lovepreet Singh were honoured with prize money of ₹50 lakh each. Our campaign to steer Punjab’s youth away from drugs and towards sports, and to make the state number one in sports once again, continues unabated. Inquilab Zindabad.”
Announcing the Games open at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “We are known for our valour, enterprise and sporting spirit, due to which we have always excelled in every field. These Games aim at channelising this spirit and providing our youth with a platform to excel in sports.”
The Chief Minister said the fourth season of ‘Khedan Wattan Punjab Diyan’ commenced from Bathinda today, while the Games Torch, which embarked on its journey from Sangrur on August 12, also reached Bathinda. “This year, the target is to involve around 10 lakh players across the state, thereby channelising the unbounded energy of the youth towards sports and other positive pursuits. Players from nine age groups, ranging from 14 years to above 70 years, will participate in the Games,” he added.
He said a total of 39 sports disciplines will be held this year, along with four para-sports, including athletics, powerlifting, badminton and wheelchair basketball. “For the first time, tennis-ball cricket for boys and girls has also been included as a demonstration sport. The Chief Minister said the Games will conclude in Patiala on November 29,” stated the Chief Minister.
“Khedan Wattan Punjab Diyan is the best platform for identifying, nurturing and polishing hidden sporting talent from every corner of Punjab’s villages and cities,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, adding that the state government is committed to preparing children for competitions at national and international levels.
The Chief Minister said a special feature of these Games is that they bring together different generations. He said that in previous editions, three generations of the same family, including a grandfather, his son and grandson, had participated together. “In the Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign, sports are our strongest and most effective weapon,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said ‘Khedan Wattan Punjab Diyan’ has now become a mass movement aimed at making the youth healthy, disciplined, confident and strong. “The sole aim of this endeavour is to connect the youth of Punjab with sports and make Punjab a frontrunner in games,” he said, adding that his government is leaving no stone unturned to promote sports and ensure that the youth benefit from these opportunities.
The Chief Minister announced that a total prize money of ₹12.50 crore will be distributed among the winning athletes. For the first time, veteran athletes will also be felicitated with cash prizes. “State-level gold medal winners will receive ₹10,000, silver medal winners ₹7,000 and bronze medal winners ₹5,000. Medal-winning athletes up to 40 years of age will also receive grading certificates, enabling them to avail the benefits of the sports quota in government jobs,” he added.
Highlighting the success of the previous editions, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann pointed out ₹25.51 crore in prize money had been distributed during the first three seasons. In Season I, held in 2022, around 3.50 lakh players participated, 9,688 players won medals and ₹6.88 crore was distributed as prize money. In Season II in 2023, around four lakh players participated, 12,500 players won medals and ₹8.87 crore was distributed.
He said Season III, held in 2024, saw around 4.35 lakh players participate, with 14,500 players winning medals and ₹9.76 crore being distributed as prize money. However, the Games could not be organised in 2025 due to floods. “This year, Punjab is once again witnessing these Games in an even bigger way,” he said.
Listing the achievements of the Sports Department, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “For the first time in the history of Punjab, a budget of ₹1,744 crore has been earmarked exclusively for sports.” He said that since 2022, prize money amounting to ₹135 crore had been distributed among 40,415 athletes.
The Chief Minister stated, “Under the New Sports Policy, financial assistance is also being provided to athletes for preparation for major competitions. ₹15 lakh is being provided for Olympic preparation and ₹8 lakh for preparation for the Asian and Commonwealth Games. So far, ₹15 crore has been distributed to athletes for training and preparation.”
The Chief Minister said that earlier, 20 athletes from Punjab who participated in the Paris Olympics were awarded ₹9.80 crore in prize money. “Each of the eight Punjabi players in the Indian hockey team that won the bronze medal was awarded ₹1 crore, while 11 athletes who brought laurels to Punjab at the national and international level were appointed as PCS/DSP officers,” he added.
He said Punjab athletes won 20 medals at the Asian Games-2023 and ₹30 crore in prize money was distributed among 33 medal-winning athletes. “Likewise, 85 athletes were honoured with the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award, while two national-level medal-winning athletes were appointed as coaches and 42 as junior coaches,” he added.
On sports infrastructure, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said 3,148 ‘Pendu Khed Maidan’ (rural sports grounds) are being developed across the state, of which 750 have already been inaugurated. “6,000 gyms are being established, with 500 already dedicated to the people in the first phase. ₹12.50 crore had been transferred directly into the bank accounts of 9,501 athletes for purchasing sports equipment,” he added.
“Punjab has made an unparalleled contribution to Indian sports over the last several decades, both at the national and international levels,” affirmed CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
He pointed out that Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh, Indian men’s cricket team captain Shubman Gill, Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Indian basketball team captain Palpreet Singh Brar are all from Punjab. “Eight players from Punjab, including the captain, are part of the Indian team for the Hockey World Cup, while 27 Punjabi athletes participated in the Asian Games-2026,” he added.
The Chief Minister said that for the first time since Independence, Punjab will host the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy, with matches scheduled to be held in Jalandhar and Mohali during October-November. “The people of Punjab will get the opportunity to watch their hockey stars play on their home soil,” he said.
Expressing confidence in the sporting potential of Punjab, Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “In the next 10 years, at the 2036 Olympics, Punjab’s players will win more than 10 medals for India.” The Chief Minister said his government is creating the necessary infrastructure and support systems to nurture sporting talent at the grassroots level and provide players with better opportunities to excel.
Making a fervent appeal to parents across Punjab, the Chief Minister urged them to encourage their children to take up sports. “It is not necessary for every child to win a medal, but sports will certainly provide children with fitness, discipline, self-confidence, team spirit and the courage to move forward in life,” he said.
Earlier, ace players Gurpreet Singh (Athletics), Rupinder Pal Singh (Hockey), Lovepreet Singh (Weightlifting), Harjinder Kaur (Weightlifting), Avtar Singh (Judo), Simranjeet Singh (Hockey), Avneet Kaur (Shooting) and Gurjant Singh (Hockey) participated in the Torch ceremony. World Championship medal winner Parneet Kaur (Archery) administered the oath to the players, while Asian Games medal winner Charanjeet Singh led the flag march.
Cabinet Ministers Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Tarunpreet Singh Sond and Hardeep Singh Mundian, Lok Sabha MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.