CM Yogi Hands Appointment Letters to 470 Medal-Winning Athletes at Lok Bhavan

In a major boost to athletic talent and law enforcement strength in Uttar Pradesh, 470 accomplished athletes who brought glory to the nation on sporting fields have officially donned the UP Police uniform to safeguard law and order across the state on Thursday, October 8, 2026. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath personally presented appointment letters to the newly inducted sportspersons during a grand ceremonial event held at the Lok Bhavan auditorium in Lucknow. Emphasizing merit, transparency, and youth empowerment, the appointments span multiple law enforcement cadres—comprising 43 Sub-Inspectors in Civil Police, 295 Constables in Civil Police, and 132 Constables in the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC). Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister underscored that these appointments reflect the hard-earned excellence of the players rather than government benevolence, marking a defining milestone in integrating sporting icons into grassroots governance.

Decorated International and National Medalists Commissioned as Sub-Inspectors

The fresh batch of police officers features prominent podium finishers from Asian and national championships who have now stepped into leadership roles in the state police force:

• Shardul Vihan (Meerut): The acclaimed shooter and silver medalist at the 2018 Asian Games has been commissioned directly as a Sub-Inspector in UP Police.

• Aamir Ali (Lucknow): Dynamic international hockey talent and gold medalist at the 2024 Asian Championships, inducted into the ranks as a Sub-Inspector.

• Aisi Prajapati (Kushinagar): Champion pugilist who secured gold in boxing at the 2024 National Games, appointed as a Sub-Inspector.

• Mohit Pal (Moradabad): Ace marksman who bagged a gold medal at the 2025 National Shooting Championships, joining the officer cadre as a Sub-Inspector.

• Elite Combat and Racket Sports Stars: Prominent badminton ace Himanshi Tiwari, international karate exponent Pranay Sharma, and champion boxer Abhishek Yadav have also taken their oaths as newly inducted Sub-Inspectors.

Diverse Sporting Disciplines Represented from Archery to Cycling

The Yogi administration’s sports recruitment drive bridges an extensive variety of traditional and modern athletic disciplines, inducting champions from across the state:

• Archery and Track Talents: Renowned archer Ragini Marco and track and field athlete Tanya Chaudhary received formal appointment letters to strengthen police sports divisions.

• Court and Ring Champions: Volleyball player Ananya Rai, kabaddi stalwart Amresh, hockey player Pratima Saroj, and boxer Abhay Singh Rathore received service appointments.

• Ground-Level Champions: Powerlifting and weightlifting talent Suhani Rajput from Bareilly along with champion cyclist Tanu Bharti from Lucknow received appointments as Police Constables, demonstrating equitable recruitment across individual and team disciplines.

Skilled Players Scheme: 950 Athletes Recruited into UP Police Since 2022

The mass induction marks the continued expansion of the state government’s flagship policy designed to secure the financial and professional futures of sports champions:

• Sustained Athletic Influx: Under the Yogi government's dedicated Skilled Players Scheme (Kushal Khiladi Yojana), as many as 950 sportspersons have secured direct employment within the police department since 2022.

• Dual Career Balance: The Uttar Pradesh Police Sports Control Board provides recruited players with state-of-the-art training facilities, advanced equipment, and specialized leave allocations, enabling them to represent the state and country on international podiums while fulfilling their departmental responsibilities.

• Honoring Athletic Dedication: The institutional framework ensures that athletes no longer face post-retirement financial uncertainty or lack of sponsorship, directly converting their sporting achievements into stable public sector careers.

Mega Employment Campaign Crosses 7,142 Distributed Letters in 5 Phased Drives

The distribution ceremony forms part of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s ambitious mission to disburse one lakh government jobs across Uttar Pradesh through transparent, rapid recruitment cycles:

• Phase 1 (September 19): Distributed appointment letters to 818 selected candidates across diverse state administrative departments.

• Phase 2 (September 20): Formally inducted 912 police personnel into operational policing roles.

• Phase 3 (September 22): Handed appointment letters to 3,567 newly selected teachers and principals to reinforce the state education system.

• Phase 4 (September 28): Inducted 1,375 Village Panchayat officials to boost rural governance and digital panchayat delivery.

• Cumulative Milestone (October 8): With the formal induction of 470 athletes today, the cumulative number of appointment letters handed over directly by the Chief Minister across these five ceremonies has officially touched 7,142 youth, accelerating the statewide recruitment drive.