SAS Nagar-The district-level competitions under ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan-2026’ (Season-4) commenced today in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district. The games were jointly inaugurated by MLA Mohali Kulwant Singh and MLA Derabassi Kuljit Singh Randhawa at the Sports Complex, Sector 78, Mohali.
On the occasion, the MLAs said that ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan’ is a flagship initiative of the Punjab Government aimed at connecting the younger generation with sports and providing them a platform to nurture and showcase their talent. They said that these games have provided athletes an opportunity to progress from the district and state levels towards national and international sporting competitions.
MLA Mohali Kulwant Singh said that the ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan’ platform is proving to be highly significant in preparing the youth of Punjab for national and international sporting competitions. He said that players from the Under-14 category to those above 70 years of age can participate in these games, with cash prizes also being provided to the winners.
He said that the Punjab Government has also taken initiatives to provide financial assistance to Punjab players preparing for international-level competitions. Besides, a policy is also being implemented to provide government jobs at higher posts to sportspersons who win medals in international competitions and bring laurels to the state.
MLA Derabassi Kuljit Singh Randhawa said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government is undertaking special initiatives for the overall development of the state as well as for promoting sports and sportspersons. He said that besides providing quality education and healthcare facilities and developing better road infrastructure, special attention is also being given to creating adequate sports infrastructure across the state.
He said that more than 3, 100 rural sports grounds are being developed across Punjab so that youth can be connected with sports and channel their energy in a constructive direction, while staying away from drugs and bringing laurels to Punjab in the field of sports.
The district-level competitions under ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan-2026’ will be held from October 2 to October 6 at various designated sports venues across the district. Competitions will be organised in cricket, shooting, athletics, kho-kho, circle-style kabaddi, national-style kabaddi, wrestling, badminton, basketball, roller skating, fencing, judo, table tennis, volleyball shooting/volleyball smashing, boxing, kickboxing, swimming, gatka, chess, hockey, handball, football, lawn tennis and weightlifting.
During the inaugural ceremony, players from gymnastics and gatka teams showcased their sporting skills, enthralling the audience.
Among the prominent, Lindhya A.N., IAS (Under Training), District Sports Officer Umeshwari Sharma, Kuldeep Singh Samana, Senior Deputy Mayor Rajinder Prasad Sharma and Deputy Mayor Harpal Singh Channa, along with a large number of leaders, sports enthusiasts, players and local residents, were present.
The MLAs appealed to sports enthusiasts, schoolchildren and residents of the area to participate in ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan-2026’ in large numbers and encourage the participating players.