RAIPUR,CG: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has been elected the new President of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Archery Association. In a general body meeting held on Wednesday at the CM’s official residence, he was unanimously elected to lead the association.

Sai highlighted his participation in various association events and his collaboration with Arjun Munda, President of the National Archery Association. Sai praised the Archery Association for its dedication to nurturing the talent of Chhattisgarh’s archers, which has resulted in impressive performances and medals in national competitions.

Sai noted that as someone from the tribal-dominated Jashpur area, he has a personal connection to archery. He mentioned that the Pahari Korwa tribe in Jashpur has a rich history of archery, with many households still keeping bows and arrows. To further develop this natural talent, Sai announced plans to expand the Archery Academy in Jashpur district.

The Chief Minister reaffirmed the state government's commitment to sports development, promising that every effort would be made to support and nurture sports talent. He highlighted the state government's reward program for Olympic athletes from Chhattisgarh: Rs 3 crore for a gold medal, Rs 2 crore for a silver medal, and Rs 1 crore for a bronze medal.

Present at the meeting were Chief Minister’s Secretary Rahul Bhagat, Chhattisgarh Badminton Association President Vikram Sisodia, newly elected officials of the Chhattisgarh State Archery Association including Vice President Bharat Matiyara, Ramlakhan Paikra, and Deepesh Arora, as well as observers Akram Khan, Sumanta Chandra Mohanty, Pravesh Joshi, and several medal-winning archers.