MANGALURU: Reaffirming his government’s commitment to nurturing sports talent, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that his government has already implemented several initiatives, including raising the sports quota in police recruitment from 2% to 3%. He also said that his government will introduce a 2% job quota for winners of national and international competitions.
Inaugurating the Chief Minister’s Mangalore India International Challenge 2025, an international badminton tournament at Urva Stadium in Mangaluru on Monday, the CM, acknowledging India’s underwhelming performance at the Olympics despite its vast population, said that the State Government would offer cash rewards of Rs 5 crore, Rs 3 crore, and Rs 2 crore to Olympic gold, silver, and bronze medallists, respectively.
Gold medal winners will also be offered government jobs, he said, adding that 60 sportspersons preparing for the Olympics will receive Rs 10 lakh each for training. Commending badminton players Arun Poovaiah and Ashok Poovaiah for bringing laurels to the nation, Siddaramaiah urged them to inspire upcoming athletes. “More people should take up sports and make Karnataka proud,” the CM said.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who is also the Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister, emphasised transforming Mangaluru into a sports city, given its abundance of talent. He said promoting sports and cultural activities would attract investment to the region. Citing the State Government’s plan to build an 80,000-seater stadium near Bengaluru at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore and develop a full-fledged sports city, he reiterated that Karnataka is placing strong emphasis on sports infrastructure and development.
I played all the games but mastered none: Siddaramaiah Chief Minister Siddaramaiah may have built a strong political career, but he admits his sporting journey was more of a wide sweep than a focused pursuit. Inaugurating the Chief Minister’s Mangalore India International Challenge 2025, an international badminton tournament at Urva Stadium in Mangaluru on Monday, the CM fondly recalled his school days, when he dabbled in badminton, kabaddi, football, and athletics.
“I played all the games but mastered none,” he said with a smile, adding that badminton remains one of the most popular sports globally. He lauded Indian shuttlers such as Prakash Padukone, Pullela Gopichand, Saina Nehwal, and PV Sindhu for bringing glory to the nation. Expressing delight that an international badminton tournament was being hosted in Karnataka for the first time, Siddaramaiah said that the event venue held personal significance for him. “I laid the foundation stone for Urva Stadium during my first term as the CM and completed it in my second by allocating the necessary funds,” he said.
