CM Vishnu Deo Sai congratulates Korba's Sanju Devi on Asian Games gold
Synopsis
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai phoned Korba kabaddi player Sanju Devi to congratulate her after the Indian women's team won gold at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan, calling her achievement an inspiration for the state's youth.
Key Takeaways
Sanju Devi from Korba, Chhattisgarh was part of the Indian women's kabaddi team that won gold at Asian Games 2026 in Japan.
CM Vishnu Deo Sai personally telephoned Sanju Devi on 26 September 2026 to convey congratulations.
Sai described the achievement as a source of pride for Chhattisgarh and the entire nation .
He called Sanju's success an inspiration for the state's daughters and young sportspersons.
Korba , primarily known as an industrial district, has been quietly producing national-level athletes.
India has a strong tradition of success in women's kabaddi at the Asian Games level.
A phone call from the Chief Minister's office to a coal-belt town in Chhattisgarh captured the arc of Indian women's sport in a single moment. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai personally called Sanju Devi, a kabaddi player from Korba, to congratulate her after India's women's kabaddi team claimed the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan.
Posting on X on Saturday, 26 September 2026, CM Sai wrote — 'Chhattisgarh ki beti Sanju Devi ne badhaya desh-pradesh ka maan' ('Chhattisgarh's daughter Sanju Devi has raised the honour of the nation and the state') — and announced he had spoken to her by phone to convey his congratulations and best wishes. 'Sanju has made Chhattisgarh and the entire nation proud through her outstanding play and firm resolve,' he added, calling the achievement an inspiration for the state's daughters and young athletes.
Korba's daughter on the continental podium
Sanju Devi hails from Korba, one of Chhattisgarh's most industrialised districts — better known for its coal mines and thermal power plants than for medal-winning sportspersons. Her rise to the Asian Games gold-medal stage underscores a quiet but steady churning of talent from India's smaller towns and resource-rich but infrastructure-challenged districts. Korba has gradually produced national-level athletes, and Sanju's achievement adds a gleaming chapter to that story.
India has historically been a dominant force in women's kabaddi at the Asian Games level, and a gold-medal finish in Japan continues that tradition. For a contact sport still working to expand its global footprint, the Asian Games remain its most prestigious international stage, and an Indian gold resonates far beyond the mat.
Why a CM's phone call matters
The gesture — a sitting chief minister ringing an athlete directly — is more than ceremonial. Across India, state governments have made high-visibility felicitation of medal-winning athletes a deliberate policy signal, one that communicates to young players in villages and small towns that the system is watching, and that success will be recognised. For Chhattisgarh, a state that has been actively investing in grassroots sports development, CM Sai's public call amplifies that message.
What comes next matters too. States routinely follow such congratulations with formal felicitations, cash awards, or announcements on sports infrastructure. Whether Korba or Chhattisgarh's broader sports ecosystem sees tangible investment in the wake of Sanju's gold will be the real measure of the moment's impact.
A girl from a coal-town in central India steps onto an Asian Games podium — and now an entire state watches what happens next.
Point of View
' the Chief Minister signals the BJP-led government's investment in women's empowerment and grassroots sports — both narratively powerful themes ahead of any electoral cycle. The broader pattern across states suggests these gestures are increasingly followed by formal cash awards or infrastructure announcements, and Chhattisgarh will face scrutiny on whether Korba sees tangible sporting investment. For women's kabaddi specifically, continued Asian Games dominance is a vital argument for greater funding and visibility of the sport nationally.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sanju Devi the kabaddi player?
Sanju Devi is a kabaddi player from Korba district in Chhattisgarh who represented India in the women's kabaddi team at the Asian Games 2026 held in Japan, where the team won the gold medal.
Did India win gold in women's kabaddi at Asian Games 2026?
Yes, according to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai's post on X, the Indian women's kabaddi team won the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan.
What did CM Vishnu Deo Sai say about Sanju Devi?
CM Sai called Sanju Devi directly by phone to congratulate her and posted on X that she had made Chhattisgarh and the entire nation proud through her outstanding play and firm resolve, calling her achievement an inspiration for the state's daughters and young athletes.
Where is Korba in Chhattisgarh?
Korba is an industrial district in Chhattisgarh, primarily known for its coal mines and thermal power plants. It has been producing national-level athletes and Sanju Devi is among its most prominent sports achievers.
Where were the Asian Games 2026 held?
The Asian Games 2026 were hosted by Japan, where the Indian women's kabaddi team competed and won the gold medal.
