Bihar Steals Spotlight with Stellar Performances by Young Athletes in 2024

Patna, Bihar - The state of Bihar has taken a significant step forward in showcasing its sporting prowess, achieving numerous milestones that have catapulted it onto the national and international sports map.

Amongst the notable achievements was para-cyclist Jalaluddin Ansari, who bagged gold at the Asian Track Cycling Championship in New Delhi. Recognized under the "Medal Lao, Naukri Pao" scheme, Jalaluddin secured a government job, solidifying Bihar's commitment to nurturing champions.

The state also witnessed history being made in para athletics with Goldie Kumari from Harnaut, Nalanda, creating a milestone by bagging gold in discus throw and bronze in javelin at the World Abilitysport Youth Games in Thailand. Furthermore, Patna's Mahi Swetraj, hailed as India's fastest woman swimmer, continued her golden streak by winning three gold medals at the 77th Senior National Swimming Championship in Mangaluru.

Bihar also showed its presence on the global stage with Khushi Kumari from Siwan being selected as the goalkeeper for the Indian junior women's football team. Moreover, cricketing enthusiast Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 13 years old and youngest player to have featured in IPL, became an overnight sensation after his impressive performance with India U-19 team.

Team events also showcased Bihar's sporting prowess, including a historic 1-0 victory over China by the Indian women's team at the newly inaugurated Rajgir stadium. At the 39th Junior National Championship in Odisha, Bihar's young athletes left an indelible mark, with Huzefa Qaisar, Kartik Kumar, Setu Mishra and Rahul Kumar winning bronze in the 4x100m relay, while Devyansh and DeV Raj set national records in shotput and 60m sprint respectively.

Bihar State Government has also taken steps to promote sports development with visionary initiatives. The launch of Prerna scheme provided free sports gear, nutrition, and insurance coverage of Rs 3 lakh each to players. Apart from this, CM Nitish Kumar launched Mashal, a statewide talent hunt at the Patliputra Stadium in Patna on Dec 9.

Furthermore, the state government has constructed Khel Bhawans in all 35 districts for indoor games and announced plans to build indoor sports complexes across nine commissionerates. DG Ravindran Sankaran of the Bihar State Sports Authority said that land for these sports complexes has already been identified.

With such milestones, it is clear that Bihar's sporting ambitions are on the rise, and one can only expect great things from this young aspiring state in the years to come.