Sanju Devi becomes first kabaddi player to win Chhattisgarh’s Gundadhur Samman

Sanju Devi, a member of the Indian women’s kabaddi team that won gold at the Asian Games in Japan, has become the first kabaddi player from Chhattisgarh to receive the Gundadhur Samman. She was presented with the award by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the Chhattisgarh State Foundation Day celebrations, in recognition of her contribution to the game.

The honour puts a state seal on a remarkable run for the Korba district native. Before her Asian Games gold, Sanju was named the Most Valuable Player at the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup held in Bangladesh.

Speaking to ETV Bharat after the ceremony, she said the recognition had only sharpened her ambition. “I will continue to strive for even better performances for both Chhattisgarh and the nation, ensuring that more such accolades are brought home,” she said.

A state award with deep roots

The Gundadhur Samman is named after Gundadhur, the leader of the 1910 Bastar tribal uprising against British rule. It was instituted by the Chhattisgarh Department of Sports and Youth Welfare in 2001 and is presented every year to an athlete who has achieved national or international success within the previous year, in disciplines recognised by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Every awardee receives a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh along with a citation. Sanju’s selection marks the first time the award has gone to a kabaddi player from the state, a point she was keen to underline.

“Being the first to achieve something is a matter of great pride. I extend my gratitude to all government officials, especially the Chhattisgarh Sports Department,” she said.

Injury comeback turned into a career turning point

Sanju’s road to the Asian Games was not a smooth one. She had to overcome an injury to make it to the competition in Japan, and she described the experience as a turning point in her career.

“The moment gave me a realisation that I must contribute something meaningful for both Chhattisgarh and my country. It was thanks to the excellent support from the government that I was able to participate in the Asian Games,” she said.

She added that the expectations of people back home had driven her to give her best throughout the tournament.

Her coach, Dil Kumar Rathore, had backed her to come through before the Games began. Speaking to ETV Bharat ahead of the tournament, he said that despite her recovery from injury, Sanju would overcome the challenges and perform well for the country. The gold medal proved him right.

Coach now dreams of the Khel Ratna

Rathore was full of pride after the latest recognition. “I am incredibly proud of what my daughter has achieved,” he said.

He explained that he had once dreamed of seeing Sanju receive the Arjuna Award, but that the Gundadhur Samman had pushed his hopes even higher.

“With this latest achievement, she has taken another step forward, and the dream has grown even bigger. I now aspire for her to go on and receive the Khel Ratna from the Government of India,” Rathore said.

For Chhattisgarh, which does not often feature among kabaddi’s traditional strongholds, the award gives the state a homegrown face of the women’s game: a World Cup MVP and Asian Games gold medallist who has now set a first for kabaddi in her home state. Sanju herself made clear that she sees the honour as a starting point rather than a finishing line, with her focus on bringing more success to both Chhattisgarh and India.