Three daughters of Himachal Pradesh climbed the podium at the Asian Games — and their Chief Minister made sure the state would meet them at the top. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met Pushpa Rana, Jyoti Thakur, and Bhavna Thakur — the trio who brought home gold for India at the Asian Games — and announced a reward package that combines prize money, government employment, and a formal felicitation ceremony.

Gold, a shawl, and a Himachali cap

The meeting, described by Sukhu as an 'aatmiya mulaqaat' (heartfelt rendezvous), was marked by the presentation of a traditional Himachali cap and shawl to each athlete — a customary gesture of highest honour in the hill state. 'Every Himachali holds their head high with pride at our daughters' hard work and success,' Sukhu wrote, capturing the mood of a state that has long punched above its weight in Indian sport.

₹1 crore per athlete, a government job, and a choice of department

The Chief Minister announced that the state government will soon organise a formal felicitation ceremony and award each of the three Asian Games gold medallists a prize money of ₹1 crore. Beyond the cash reward, all three will be offered absorption into government service. Athletes who do not wish to join the Police Department will be accommodated in the Sports Department instead — a flexible arrangement designed so that the posting complements rather than disrupts an active sporting career.

Renuka Thakur, a player for the Indian Women's Cricket Team, was also named in the announcement: she will receive a separate prize of ₹1 crore, extending the government's recognition beyond the Asian Games podium to elite cricket as well.

What the reward signals for Himachal's sporting culture

The package — substantial prize money plus guaranteed government employment — follows a pattern several state governments across India have used to incentivise high-performance sport. For a relatively small mountain state with limited industrial employment options, a government posting can be as career-defining as the prize cheque itself. Sukhu's announcement that athletes can choose between police and sports-department roles signals awareness that an active competitor needs a posting that leaves time and bandwidth for training and competition. The inclusion of a cricketer alongside track-and-field or combat-sport Asian Games champions also broadens the policy's reach beyond a single discipline.

Sukhu closed his post with a warm send-off: 'Betiyan yun hi aage badhti rahen, naye mukaam hasil karen aur Himachal ka maan badhati rahen' — 'May our daughters keep moving forward, reach new heights, and continue to raise Himachal's honour.'