Gujarat : Khel Mahakumbh Under Fire as Winners Allege Years of Unpaid Prize Money

Ahmedabad | Gujarat —  Gujarat’s flagship sporting event, Khel Mahakumbh, launched with the vision of nurturing sporting talent and creating champions, is facing serious allegations of administrative chaos and delayed prize money payments. Several athletes across the state claim that despite winning competitions, their promised rewards have either been delayed for months and years or never reached them at all.

Started in 2010 by then Gujarat Chief Minister and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Khel Mahakumbh has grown into one of India’s largest grassroots sporting initiatives. More than 72.58 lakh participants registered last year alone. However, behind the impressive participation figures, growing complaints from athletes have raised concerns about the system’s credibility.

As per the report published in a local newspaper, many players allege that repeated follow-ups with the Sports Authority of Gujarat (SAG) have yielded little response. Some say they have become so frustrated that they have stopped participating in the tournament altogether.

Among them are Ahmedabad-based senior badminton players Bhai Lal Vanand and Jayant Rajni, who won gold in the men’s doubles category (60-plus) at the state-level tournament in Rajkot in March 2025. According to the players, they were promised ₹5,000 each as prize money, but more than a year later, the amount has still not been credited.

“Even after repeated visits to Gandhinagar and submitting all required documents, we have not received the prize money. Every time, a new reason is given,” said Jayant Rajni.

The players claim SAG officials initially told them that the results had not been received from Rajkot. Later, they were informed that the results had not been submitted in the correct format. They were even asked to provide proof of their victory despite being officially declared winners.

Vanand also recalled a previous incident from 2018 when prize money meant for him was reportedly linked to an unknown bank account.

“I had submitted my SBI account details, but officials told me the amount had been deposited into an HDFC account that did not belong to me. Only after raising the issue in Gandhinagar was the money transferred correctly,” he alleged.

Athletes have also questioned why medals and trophies for taluka and district-level winners have been discontinued, saying such recognition boosts morale and encourages participation.

Responding to the controversy, Sports Authority of Gujarat Secretary R.I. Vala said that over 3.18 lakh winners have already received around ₹53 crore in prize money. According to him, approximately 15,000 to 20,000 cases remain pending, largely due to bank account discrepancies and incomplete details submitted by participants.

While officials maintain that most payments have been completed, athletes argue that the burden of correcting administrative mistakes should not fall on winners.