Himachal CM’s warm send-off to athletes for Special Olympics World Winter Games in Italy, half of Indian players from state

SHIMLA: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here on Monday (March 3, 2025) gave a warm send-off to special athletes and coaches of Special Olympics of Himachal Pradesh selected for the Special Olympics World Winter Games being organised at Turin in Italy from March 7 to 16, 2025.

The Chief Minister said that it was a matter of happiness for the people of the state that 24 athletes and coaches of the 49-member Indian delegation were from Himachal Pradesh for this prestigious event.

These athletes will take part in various events such as skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and floor ball. He expressed hope that they would perform well in this event and bring laurels to the country as well as the state.

Chief Minister Sukhu said that the present state government was extending all possible assistance to the budding players of the state so that they could compete and excel at national and international sports competitions.

“The state government will honour the medalists of this event and has significantly enhanced the prize money for the international events to promote sports activities amongst the youth so that they do not fall prey to drug abuse,” he said.

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the prize money for gold medallists in the Olympics, Winter Olympics and Paralympics had been raised from Rs 3 crore to Rs 5 crore. Similarly, for silver medallists from Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore and for bronze medallists from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore.

For the Asian Games and Asian Para Games, the prize money for gold medallists had been increased from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 4 crore, for silver medallists from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 2.5 crore and for bronze medallists from Rs 20 lakh to Rs. 1.5 crore, he said.

The prize money for gold medallists of the Commonwealth Games has been increased from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 3 crore, for silver medallists from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 2 crore and for bronze medallists from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 1 crore. Shimla MLA Harish Janartha was also present on the occasion.

Sunil Chadha