Module 17 • Sports, Padma Awards & Welfare2026-05-3012 min read
UP Sports Champions, UP Sports Policy 2023, Padma Awards 2026 & Social Missions
Target Exam: UPPCS / UPPSC Combined State Services•Official Sources: Uttar Pradesh State Gazettes, Budget & Official ReleasesUttar Pradesh State Gazettes, Budget & Official Releases
1. Uttar Pradesh Sporting Heroes & Historic Records (2025–26)
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Deepti Sharma (Agra):
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Crowned Player of the Tournament at the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025.
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Delivered a legendary all-round performance in the Final: scored 58 crucial runs and took 5 wickets for 32 runs.
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Appointed Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the Uttar Pradesh Police under the state's gazetted sports quota.
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Gulveer Singh (Atrauli, Aligarh):
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Achieved a historic double gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025, winning both the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres track events.
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Sachin Yadav (Khekada, Baghpat):
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Won the Silver Medal in Javelin Throw at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 with an astounding personal best throw of 86.27 metres.
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Preethi Pal (Meerut):
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Star para-athlete competing in the T35 classification.
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Bagged Silver in 200m and Bronze in 100m at the World Para Athletics Championships, setting a new National Record of 14.21 seconds; conferred the prestigious Arjuna Award.
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Other Distinguished Athletes:
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Praveen Kumar (Jewar): Gold medallist in Para High Jump (T64).
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Vivek Chikara (Meerut): Asian Para Archery silver medallist.
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Ajay Tyagi (Ghaziabad): National rowing champion with gold and silver.
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Anish Raj (Noida): Asian Under-19 Roller Skating gold medallist.
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National Games 2025 Historic Podium Sweep:
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Uttar Pradesh women athletes accomplished a sensational 1-2-3 podium sweep in Women's Hammer Throw:
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Gold: Anushka Yadav
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Silver: Tanya Choudhary
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Bronze: Nandini
2. UP Sports Policy 2023 & Institutional Governance
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Financial Corpus: Established the ₹100 crore Sports Development Fund.
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High-Performance Centres (HPCs): Setting up 5 High-Performance Centres equipped with sports science, biomechanics, and physiotherapy across Lucknow, Meerut, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, and Saifai.
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Direct Gazetted Job Quota: Rule 2022 guarantees direct appointment as DSP (Police) or Deputy Collector (SDM) for Olympic and World Championship medallists.
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Apex State Awards:
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Rani Lakshmibai Award: Highest sports honor for female athletes (includes bronze statue, citation, and ₹3.11 lakh cash).
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Laxman Award: Highest sports honor for male athletes.
3. Padma Awards 2026: Uttar Pradesh Awardees
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Padma Vibhushan:
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Dr. N. Rajam (Varanasi / Art): Legendary virtuoso of Hindustani classical violin (Gayaki Ang).
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Padma Shri:
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Anil Kumar Rastogi (Lucknow / Art): Veteran theatre and cinema actor.
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Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh (Science & Engineering): Eminent agricultural scientist & breeder of revolutionary Pusa 1121 and Pusa 1509 Basmati rice varieties.
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Dr. Buddha Rashmi Mani (Archaeology): Renowned archaeologist, former Director-General of National Museum, led excavations at Ayodhya, Kapilavastu, and Kanauj.
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Chiranji Lal Yadav (Art): Folk music preservationist and traditional Biraha maestro.
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Dr. Kewal Krishan Thakral (Medicine): Pioneering Ayurvedic surgeon specialising in Kshara Sutra therapy.
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Dr. Rajendra Prasad (Medicine): Renowned pulmonologist, national leader in tuberculosis eradication.
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Prof. Mangala Kapoor (Literature & Education): Eminent Hindi linguist and literary scholar.
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Raghupat Singh (Agriculture): Pioneer in indigenous seed conservation and chemical-free natural farming.
4. Flagship Social Welfare & Empowerment Missions
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Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana:
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Financial grant enhanced to ₹25,000 per girl child (from ₹15,000) disbursed across 6 developmental milestones from birth to university graduation.
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Mission Shakti (Phase 5.0):
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Women safety, dignity, and self-reliance; operationalised dedicated Pink Police Booths and Women Help Desks in all 1,535 police stations.
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Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Yojana:
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Free, high-quality coaching for civil services (UPPCS, UPSC), NEET, JEE, and NDA/CDS across all 75 districts.
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One District One Medical College (ODOMC):
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UP is saturating all 75 districts with government and PPP tertiary medical colleges to expand MBBS seats.
Key Examination Takeaways:
- Deepti Sharma was named Player of the Tournament at the 2025 Women's World Cup and appointed DSP in UP Police.
- Gulveer Singh secured a historic double Asian gold in 5000m and 10000m, while Sachin Yadav threw 86.27m in javelin.
- Padma Awards 2026 honored Dr. N. Rajam with Padma Vibhushan and agricultural geneticist Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh with Padma Shri.
- UP's social portfolio features enhanced ₹25,000 Kanya Sumangala grants, Mission Shakti 5.0, and 75-district Abhyudaya coaching.