Former India captain Ritu Negi has represented the country at three consecutive Asian Games, won two gold medals and a silver, and led the women’s kabaddi team to the top of the podium at the 2023 edition in Hangzhou. Yet, after being part of India’s gold-medal-winning squad again at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, the Arjuna Awardee has found herself at the centre of an unexpected controversy in her home state of Himachal Pradesh.Negi’s name was missing from the state’s list of athletes announced for a cash reward of Rs 1 crore following India’s women’s kabaddi triumph in Japan. The decision has left the veteran player disappointed and raised questions about whether an accomplished sportsperson should lose recognition from her home state simply because she is married in another state.Negi hails from the Shillai region of Sirmaur district but is married in Panipat, Haryana. The omission has been particularly difficult to understand because she received a cash reward from Himachal Pradesh after India’s women’s kabaddi team won gold at the 2023 Asian Games, when she was the captain.This time, however, her name was left out while three other players from the state were included in the reward list.“Until a week ago, I was a daughter of Himachal and the CM shared a congratulatory message on Facebook, while former CM Jairam Thakur and Member of Parliament Anurag Thakur had called to congratulate me,” Negi told the media while expressing her displeasure.“I simply cannot understand what changed so suddenly two days ago.”
‘Why is Himachal Pradesh behaving this way at this stage of my career?’
The decision to exclude Negi has struck a particularly sensitive chord because of her long association with Indian kabaddi and her contribution to the state’s sporting reputation.The veteran has represented India at three consecutive Asian Games, winning two gold medals and a silver. She captained the women’s team to gold at Hangzhou in 2023 and remained part of the squad that successfully defended the title in Japan.India edged past Iran 37-34 in a tense final at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, holding on to its advantage in the closing stages to secure another Asian Games gold.The achievement should have been another moment of pride for the player and her home state. Instead, the omission from the reward list has left Negi questioning the recognition being extended to her.She pointed out that although she is employed by Indian Railways, she has consistently represented Himachal Pradesh, rather than Haryana, in domestic competitions.“Why Himachal Pradesh is behaving in such a way at this stage of my career?” she asked.For Negi, the issue goes beyond the financial incentive. It is about recognition for years of representing India and maintaining her sporting association with the state from which she hails.
India women’s kabaddi team after winning the Asian Games gold medal in Japan.
Her father asks: Does a daughter stop belonging to her state after marriage?
Negi’s father, Bhavan Singh Negi, has also questioned the decision, asking whether a daughter ceases to belong to her home state simply because she gets married elsewhere.Speaking from Shillai in Sirmaur district, he pointed out that his daughter had received a cash reward from the Himachal government after the 2023 Asian Games, despite being married in Haryana.That precedent has made the latest omission even harder for the family to comprehend. They believe marriage should not erase an athlete’s roots or diminish her contribution to the state she continues to represent in domestic competitions.The controversy has since drawn reactions from political leaders and people associated with sports in Himachal Pradesh.The debate has consequently become about more than a reward announced after a sporting achievement. It has raised questions about how states recognise athletes who continue to bring them distinction despite changes in their personal circumstances.
Why three kabaddi players were awarded Rs 1 crore each
The controversy emerged after Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced a cash reward of Rs 1 crore each for three players from the state who were part of India’s women’s kabaddi gold-medal-winning squad at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.The recipients were Pushpa Rana, Jyoti Thakur and Bhawna Thakur. Indian women’s cricket player Renuka Thakur was also announced as a recipient of Rs 1 crore in recognition of her achievements.The announcement followed an earlier disagreement over the amount offered to the kabaddi players. Initially, the three players had been informed that they would receive Rs 33 lakh each, a figure they felt was below their entitlement under the state’s sports policy. They subsequently met Sukhu to raise their concerns over the cash incentives and employment opportunities.Pushpa Rana said the players were disappointed by the original announcement.“Look, we were very disappointed because according to the sports policy, we were not being given the amount that was due to us. So literally, anyone would be disappointed,” she told IANS.Following the meeting, the Chief Minister assured the players that the reward would be increased to Rs 1 crore each. The state government also announced government employment for the three kabaddi players, with options in the police department or the Youth Services and Sports Department.While the revised announcement addressed the players’ concerns over the amount, Negi’s omission from the list brought a fresh controversy into focus.
Government promises to review the decision
The Himachal Pradesh government has not publicly provided a definitive explanation for why Negi’s name was removed from the list.Sports Minister Yadvinder Goma said he was unaware of the reason behind the change and would examine the file before discussing the matter with the Chief Minister.Meanwhile, sources in the state government indicated that officials were monitoring the Haryana government’s position on the matter. They suggested that Himachal Pradesh could consider a decision later, particularly since Haryana had not yet announced a cash award for Negi.The sources also indicated that her employment with Indian Railways was not a factor in the matter.The distinction is important because Negi has maintained that she has continued to represent Himachal Pradesh in domestic competitions despite her marriage and employment outside the state.Whether the government ultimately revises its list remains to be seen. For now, the Sports Minister’s assurance that he will review the matter offers a possible route towards resolving the dispute.
Another gold medal, but a different kind of disappointment
For Negi, the timing of the controversy is especially poignant.At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, she captained the women’s kabaddi side to gold and received recognition from her home state. At the Aichi-Nagoya Games, she again stood among the Indian players who helped defend the title, contributing to a campaign that ended with another gold medal for the country.Her sporting journey has been built around representing India at the highest level while continuing to identify with Himachal Pradesh. The latest controversy has placed that connection under an uncomfortable spotlight.Negi’s case also highlights a broader challenge in Indian sport: ensuring that recognition for athletes reflects their achievements and contributions, rather than becoming entangled in questions about residence, marriage or administrative eligibility.The government has yet to make its final position clear, and the possibility of reconsideration remains open. Until then, the former India captain’s disappointment stands as a reminder that recognition can matter as much as the reward itself.
