Kerala Government to Reward Commonwealth Games Medalists with Cash Prizes

The Kerala government has decided to reward its athletes who excelled at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with substantial cash prizes. This initiative, announced by Sports Minister OJ Janeesh, includes Rs 20 lakh for medalists like Murali Sreeshankar and Mohammed Basil, among others. The government aims to enhance the sports sector's support for athletes while addressing overdue prize money from previous competitions. With a commitment to creating a more athlete-friendly environment, the government is taking steps to clear outstanding payments and improve the overall sports landscape in Kerala. Read on to learn more about the specific awards and the government's plans for the future.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 13, 2026, 23:49 IST

Kerala Honors Its Athletes

The Kerala government has announced plans to reward its athletes from the state who secured medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with cash prizes.

During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Keralam's Sports Minister OJ Janeesh revealed this decision.

Janeesh stated, “The Cabinet has resolved to honor Malayali athletes who achieved medal success at the Commonwealth Games. Each of the medalists, including Murali Sreeshankar, who earned a silver in long jump, and para-athlete Mohammed Basil, who also secured silver in the men's 100 meters, will receive Rs 20 lakh.”

Additionally, Divi Bijesh, the Under-12 World Chess Champion, and Sandra Mol Sabu, part of the Indian team that clinched gold in the mixed relay at the Under-23 Asian Games, will also be awarded Rs 20 lakh each.

Furthermore, swimming finalist Sajan Prakash and 4x400m mixed relay finalist Ansa Babu will each receive Rs 5 lakh. The coaches of Sreesankar and Basil will be honored with Rs 2 lakh each, as mentioned by the Sports Minister.

Janeesh noted that Sreesankar had previously received Rs 10 lakh for his silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. According to current regulations, athletes reaching the Commonwealth finals are entitled to Rs 5 lakh, while medalists receive Rs 5 lakh for gold, Rs 3 lakh for silver, and Rs 1 lakh for bronze. The government has decided to enhance these rewards, recognizing that the previous amounts were insufficient.

He emphasized the government's commitment to fostering a more athlete-friendly environment in Kerala's sports sector and to minimize the politicization of sports.

“Our policy aims to create a supportive atmosphere for athletes and to address the backlog of prize money owed to medalists from various national and international competitions since 2019. We are actively working to resolve these outstanding payments, with Rs 1.5 crore already allocated as a first step, and plans to release the remaining funds in the coming months,” he added.