Ladakh LG Approves New Sports Policy with Scholarships and Cash Incentives for Athletes

LEH, Aug 1: Ladakh Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena on Saturday approved the Ladakh Sports Policy 2026, a comprehensive framework aimed at promoting sports by providing monthly scholarships, one-time cash incentives and long-term financial support to athletes across different levels of competition. Describing the policy as a landmark initiative, Saxena said it is designed to transform Ladakh into a vibrant and self-sustaining sporting hub while enabling talented youth to pursue sports as a viable career without financial constraints. Based on the motto “Scout, Facilitate and Recognise,” the policy aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of promoting sports through initiatives such as Khelo India and seeks to identify, nurture and reward sporting talent from the grassroots to the international level. A key feature of the policy is the introduction of monthly scholarships for medal winners in recognised international, national, state-level, National School Games and Khelo India competitions. The scholarships will be awarded for 12 months from the date of winning the medal. Under the scheme, international gold medallists will receive ₹1 lakh per month, national gold medallists ₹75,000 per month, and state-level gold medallists ₹10,000 per month, with proportionate scholarships for silver and bronze medal winners. The policy also ensures that athletes progressing to higher levels of competition will automatically receive upgraded scholarship benefits without losing the support already provided. In addition to monthly scholarships, the Government has announced one-time cash incentives ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹1 crore for medal winners in recognised sporting events. These incentives will be paid over and above the monthly scholarship. To encourage adventure sports, the policy provides a one-time cash award of ₹10 lakh to mountaineers from Ladakh who successfully summit peaks above 8,000 metres anywhere in the world.e Special cash awards have also been introduced for outstanding performances in the Paralympic Games, Para Asian Games, Para Commonwealth Games, national para sports championships, and competitions for visually impaired, hearing-impaired and Special Olympics athletes. Officials said the policy was finalised after extensive consultations with stakeholders over the past two months. It was formulated following representations from athletes and their families highlighting the financial challenges associated with training and participating in competitive sports. Highlighting the significance of the initiative, LG Saxena said the new sports policy reflects the administration’s long-term commitment to building a strong sporting culture in Ladakh through sustained financial support, modern infrastructure, scientific coaching and career opportunities for talented athletes. He said every medal won by a sportsperson from Ladakh is a matter of pride for the nation and reaffirmed the administration’s resolve to ensure that talented athletes and their families no longer have to worry about the financial burden of pursuing excellence in sports.