Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: Meghalaya celebrated National Sports Day on August 29, 2026, with a massive push for athlete welfare. Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla confirmed the state sports budget jumped from Rs 40 crore in 2018 to over Rs 840 crore today. The government is backing its athletes with cold, hard cash.
Gold medal winners at the National Games will now pocket Rs 2 lakh, a significant climb from the previous Rs 7,500. Silver and bronze winners will take home Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 1 lakh. Under the Meghalaya Outstanding Sportsperson Direct Appointment Policy, top athletes earn government jobs without taking exams. Pynshngain Kurbah, a 38th National Games bronze medallist, received the inaugural appointment.
The state aims to scout 24,500 youths through the STAR programme. Officials also plan to build 125 football centres statewide. "The government's recognition of athletes should be viewed as the beginning of a larger effort to support and develop sporting talent in the state," Shylla said.
A new high-performance sports science centre opens at the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex this September. Athletes will also get special insurance via the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme. Mawlai Sports Club earned recognition for winning the 4th Meghalaya State League.
Chief Secretary Dr. Shakil P. Ahammed, IAS, emphasized the character-building power of sports. With the 39th National Games arriving in 2027, the administration is racing to finalize infrastructure. Director Alertson Nongbri is currently overseeing efforts to sharpen athlete preparation as the state builds a high-performance ecosystem.
Updated at 30th August 2026 at 1:48pm
This year’s celebrations ran under the theme Khelega Bharat, Jeetega Bharat. Beyond the cash prizes, the government announced it will provide training stipends for the state’s contingent heading to the 39th National Games. The MOSDAP policy for direct government jobs now officially includes medal winners from the South Asian Games, Asian Games, and the Olympics.
Mawlai Sports Club received additional credit for qualifying for the second-stage play-off round of I-League 3 2025-26. During the festivities, Meghalaya archer Devraj Mohapatra spoke on the necessity of discipline, patience, and family support in an athlete's career. The event also featured a choir performance by Kawei Ka Sur and a formal vote of thanks from Deputy Director Paia B. War Nongbri.
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