CM Sukhu Hails Seema Kumari's Asian Games Bronze in 10,000m
Synopsis
Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu congratulated Seema Kumari of Reta village, Chamba, for winning bronze in the 10,000m at the Asian Games and wished her luck for the upcoming 5,000m race.
Key Takeaways
Seema Kumari from Reta village, Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh won a bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the Asian Games.
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu publicly congratulated her on September 25, 2026 , calling it a moment of pride for Himachal and India.
Sukhu also extended wishes for her upcoming 5,000 metres event at the same Games.
Chamba is one of Himachal Pradesh's most remote districts, making Seema Kumari's achievement particularly notable.
The feat highlights the potential of high-altitude upbringing in producing competitive long-distance runners.
A village girl from the hills of Chamba district just put Himachal Pradesh on the Asian Games podium. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday, September 25, 2026, congratulated Seema Kumari of Reta village, Chamba, for winning a bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the Asian Games — a feat the Chief Minister called a moment of pride for both the state and the nation.
Posting in Hindi on X, CM Sukhu wrote: 'चंबा जिला के रेटा गांव की बेटी सीमा कुमारी जी ने एशियाई खेलों में 10,000 मीटर दौड़ में कांस्य पदक जीतकर हिमाचल और देश का मान बढ़ाया है' — ('The daughter of Reta village in Chamba district, Seema Kumari, has brought honour to Himachal and the country by winning a bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the Asian Games.')
He extended his best wishes for her upcoming 5,000 metres race, signalling that the state is watching — and expecting — more.
Reta to the Asian Games podium
Seema Kumari's bronze is the kind of story that travels fast: a long-distance runner from a small hill village in one of India's more rugged districts, competing on the continent's biggest multi-sport stage. Chamba, tucked in the remote north of Himachal Pradesh and historically one of its least-connected regions, rarely makes athletic headlines. This medal changes that.
Long-distance running has quietly produced champions from India's mountainous states, where high-altitude training — even informal, everyday movement across steep terrain — builds the aerobic base that flat-land training camps spend months trying to replicate. Seema Kumari's run in the 10,000 metres is a vivid example of that edge translated into competitive gold.
The 5,000 metres — the next finish line
CM Sukhu's specific mention of the 5,000 metres is more than polite encouragement. For a distance runner who has just medalled at 10,000 metres, the shorter race is a natural double — and the congratulatory message doubles as a public statement of expectation. The entire state is now watching the start line.
Himachal Pradesh has in recent years worked to spotlight its athletes on national and international platforms, and a bronze at the Asian Games gives that effort a concrete, living face: Seema Kumari, from Reta, Chamba.
From a mountain village in Chamba to an Asian Games podium — if the 5,000 metres goes the way Himachal hopes, this story is only at the halfway mark.
Point of View
000 metres is a deft move: it keeps the story alive and frames the state as a stakeholder in the result. More broadly, the medal fits a quiet national pattern of hill-state athletes excelling in endurance disciplines, a talent pipeline that policy investment could significantly accelerate.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Seema Kumari the Asian Games medallist?
Seema Kumari is a long-distance runner from Reta village in Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh, who won a bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the Asian Games in 2026.
What medal did Seema Kumari win at the Asian Games?
Seema Kumari won a bronze medal in the 10,000 metres race at the Asian Games 2026.
Which village and district is Seema Kumari from?
She is from Reta village in Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh.
What did CM Sukhu say about Seema Kumari?
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu congratulated Seema Kumari, calling her achievement a matter of pride for Himachal Pradesh and the entire country, and wished her well for her upcoming 5,000 metres race.
Is Seema Kumari running the 5,000 metres at the Asian Games?
Yes, CM Sukhu's post confirms she is set to compete in the 5,000 metres at the same Asian Games, and he extended his best wishes for that event.
