Gallery of fame at Mahamaya stadium to honour athletes from Ghaziabad
Ghaziabad: A 'gallery of fame' featuring Ghaziabad's top-performing athletes is set to come up at the Mahamaya Sports Stadium as part of a district-level initiative to promote sports and motivate budding players.
District magistrate Deepak Meena has directed the sports department to set up the gallery and also replace cash awards for athletes with customised sports equipment to support their long-term development.
District sports officer Poonam Bishnoi said that the gallery will be prominently located at the entrance of the stadium. "It will be the first thing athletes see when they enter the stadium. The idea is to greet every player with stories of excellence and perseverance that have emerged from our own district.
It will include framed portraits, brief biographies, and highlights of achievements of athletes who made Ghaziabad proud at national and international levels," Bishnoi said.
Among those set to be featured here is Simran Sharma, a visually-impaired para athlete who won a bronze medal at the Paris Paralympics 2024 and was conferred the Arjuna Award the same year. Also to be featured are Lakshay Phogat, who clinched a silver medal at the Asian U-15 Boxing Championships in Jordan this April, and javelin thrower Pradeep Yadav of Modinagar, who bagged a silver at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou.
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Yadav, who has a motor disability, also received the Uttar Pradesh Laxman Award earlier this year. "I am extremely honoured to be part of the gallery. It's a proud moment and I hope it encourages more para athletes to aim high," he told TOI. The gallery's construction is part of a larger renovation plan for the stadium. TOI earlier reported that the state govt allocated Rs 16 crore for the stadium's overhaul in the last financial year.
A detailed project report was prepared, tenders were awarded, and renovation work is set to begin soon.
In a significant policy shift, the DM also said that, instead of cash prizes ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000, athletes will now receive high-quality equipment suited to their discipline. "For instance, a badminton player might receive a professional-grade racket set. This will help them train more effectively," said Bishnoi.
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