Punjab's sporting spirit is on full display as the state proudly hosts a major national event. Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains officially inaugurated the 69th National School Games at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
A Grand Gathering of Young Sporting Talent
The event has turned Ludhiana into a hub for young athletic talent from every corner of the nation. Participants include teams from all states and Union Territories, as well as institutions like Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Vidya Bharati schools. The games are scheduled to run until January 11, featuring intense competition across several disciplines.
Minister Bains expressed immense pride, stating that around 1,000 sportspersons and more than 350 coaches have converged in Ludhiana from different parts of the country. The competitions will focus on specific categories: Judo under-14 for boys and girls, Taekwondo under-14 for girls, and Gatka under-19 for boys and girls.
Multiple Venues and Punjab's Sports Vision
To accommodate the scale of the event, matches will be conducted across multiple venues in Ludhiana. These include BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School in Shastri Nagar, Government Senior Secondary School at PAU, and the Open Air Theatre also located within the Punjab Agricultural University campus.
Beyond the current games, Minister Bains outlined a transformative vision for sports infrastructure in Punjab. He revealed that construction work for 3,100 playgrounds in villages and cities is underway at a war footing in its first phase. The goal is to ensure every village in the state has a dedicated sports ground.
Proactive Policy for Player Support
Highlighting a forward-thinking approach, Bains detailed Punjab's proactive sports policy. A key feature is the provision of advance financial assistance to players selected for premier events like the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, or the Olympics.
"In other states, such incentives are given after winning medals; but Punjab supports its players in advance," Bains said. He credited this policy for the increased medal tally from Punjab's athletes. The state is also recruiting coaches for sports nurseries in boxing, hockey, kabaddi, and other disciplines, and has increased the diet allowance for players.
The inauguration of the 69th National School Games marks a significant moment for Punjab, showcasing its commitment to nurturing grassroots sporting talent and building a robust ecosystem for athletes to thrive on national and international stages.
