Fit India Campaign mini marathon run held in Patna

 

Fit India Campaign mini marathon run was held in Patna on National Sports Day (August 29, 2026). Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav and Digha MLA Sanjeev Chaurasiya jointly flagged off the race. Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui  

Bihar Goverenment honours top athletes and coaches on National Sports Day

Patna: On the occasion of National Sports Day, celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand, outstanding athletes and coaches from Bihar were honoured at the Pataliputra Sports Complex on August 29, 2026. The chief guest, Patna High Court judge Justice Rana Vikram Singh, along with Bihar Advocate General Satyadarshi Sanjay and Director General of Police Vinay Kumar, presented mementoes to the state’s outstanding sportspersons and coaches.

Sports Department Secretary Deepak Anand, Bihar State Sports Authority Director General-cum-Chief Executive Officer Raveendran Sankaran, Sports Department Director Arif Ahsan, Assistant Director Sanjay Kumar, the Authority’s Executive Director Ravindra Nath Chaudhary, Deputy Director Himanshu Singh, Sports Executive Anandi Kumar and Chandan Kumar Singh were also present.

The 12 outstanding athletes honoured on the occasion were:

1. Piyush Raj — Athletics

2. Alpana Kumari — Rugby

3. Sapna Kumari — Rugby

4. Shruti Kumari — Football

5. Sneha Verma — Sepak Takraw

6. Tushar — Fencing

7. Mohammad Rayan — Chess

8. Jhandu Kumar — Powerlifting

9. Soman Rana — Shot Put

10. Setu Mishra — Athletics

11. Vibhaskar Kumar — Athletics

12. Sagar Prakash — Rugby

The coaches and referees honoured were:

1. Sandeep Kumar — Secretary, Bihar Para Sports Association and international para-athlete

2. Ranjit Rana — International kabaddi referee

3. Sunil Kumar Jha — Former Bihar hockey player

4. Gavin Ferreira — Former Olympian and international hockey player, currently a hockey coach

5. Sanjay Pathak — Founder and head coach, Rani Lakshmibai Academy, Siwan

Sports kits under the Sports Scholarship Scheme were also distributed to cycling players Prince Kumar, Sonu Kumar, Badal Kumar, Ragini Kumari and Srishti Kumari and Shreyansh Yadav.

Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui

CM Samrat Choudhary Felicitates Bihar Para-Athletes on National Sports Day

 Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on August 29, 2026 felicitated the state’s para-athletes who delivered outstanding performances and won medals at the Commonwealth Games 2026. The ceremony was held at the ‘Sankalp’ auditorium at the Chief Minister’s official residence on the occasion of National Sports Day.

The Chief Minister presented a cheque of Rs 30 lakh, a traditional stole and a memento to Bihar athlete Soman Rana, who won the gold medal in the men’s F57 shot put event at the Commonwealth Games 2026. He also honoured bronze medallist Jhandu Kumar, who won a medal in men’s para powerlifting, with a cheque of Rs 15 lakh, a traditional stole and a memento.

The Chief Minister interacted with both athletes, heard about their experiences and congratulated them on their achievements.

On the occasion, Samrat Choudhary said the athletes had not only enhanced the country’s prestige through their outstanding performances but had also brought honour to Bihar on the national and international sporting map. “Honouring you is a matter of pride for all of us,” Chief Minister said.

Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui

400 players felicitated in Bihar Sports Award function

As many as 400  players and 11 coaches were felicitated in the Sports Award Function of the Bihar government organised on the occasion of National Sports Day at Gyan Bhavan in Patna on August 29, 2023. Bihar art, culture and youth department minister Jitendra Kumar Rai was the chief guest. About Rs 5 crore was distributed as the cash award to the distinguished players who brought laurels of Bihar in international and national competitions.

Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui