# Asian Games Gold Brings Vastly Different Rewards: Sundar Gets 75 Lakh While Vipraj Nigam Awarded 3 Crore > State governments have announced contrasting cash rewards for Indian cricketers following gold medal wins at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan. **Type:** article · **Category:** Cricket · **Published:** 2026-10-09 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/asian-games-men-gold-jitane-para-inamon-ka-bara-antara-washington-sundar-ko-75-lakha-aura-vipraj-nigam-ko-3-karora-ka-ailana-45399 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Washington Sundar, Vipraj Nigam, Deepti Sharma, Asian Games 2026, Indian Cricket Team, Prize Money, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu Following the conclusion of the Asian Games 2026 in Japan, state administrations across India have initiated felicitations and substantial cash rewards for podium finishers. As the Prime Minister prepares to meet the contingent of athletes, regional governments are moving swiftly to honor their home-state performers. Tamil Nadu resolved to reward Washington Sundar following the Indian cricket squad's gold medal triumph, while Uttar Pradesh announced massive financial bonuses for players representing both the men's and women's championship setups. While every athlete contributing to the national medal tally earns recognition and financial reward, public attention has been drawn to how different state authorities evaluate identical sporting achievements with markedly uneven prize structures. This contrast is evident in the allocations for Washington Sundar, who actively featured in the final's playing eleven, and Vipraj Nigam, who was part of the squad without taking the field in any fixture. ## Rewarding Washington Sundar and Vipraj Nigam In Tamil Nadu, the administration guided by popular leader and actor Vijay announced a 75 lakh rupee cash prize for Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar. Official communication regarding this reward was made by the Chief Minister on October 3. During the high-pressure final against Pakistan, Sundar produced an economical bowling spell, claiming 2 wickets while conceding 29 runs. India batted first in that contest to post a competitive total of 211 runs across 20 overs. Chasing the target, Pakistan was restricted to 192 runs, giving India the gold medal victory to which Sundar directly contributed. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government declared an incentive of 3 crore rupees for Vipraj Nigam. Nigam was an official member of the gold-winning Indian men's roster throughout the event, though he did not play a single match during the tournament. Consequently, the conclusion of the cricket competition at the Asian Games resulted in significantly divergent state-level financial payouts for Sundar and Nigam. ## Deepti Sharma Accorded 3 Crore Rupee Bonus The Uttar Pradesh government additionally confirmed a 3 crore rupee cash award for Indian women's cricketer Deepti Sharma. In the women's gold medal showdown against Sri Lanka, Sharma delivered a dominant spell, claiming 3 wickets while giving away just 6 runs. India had set an imposing total of 216 runs after batting first, subsequently bundling out the Sri Lankan side for a modest 69 runs. Sharma, who currently holds the rank of DSP within the UP Police, remains a vital pillar of India's women's team setup and has consistently contributed to its progress over the years. ## What this means for you The stark variation in cash awards underscores how state-level sports policies create vastly unequal financial outcomes for athletes achieving the same national milestone. - **Across India:** Athletes securing the same gold medal receive completely disparate financial rewards depending solely on their home state. This highlights how an Indian player's incentive is heavily determined by regional policy frameworks rather than national parity. - **In Tamil Nadu:** Washington Sundar received a 75 lakh rupee prize despite actively playing and picking wickets in the gold medal match. This reflects the existing reward scale formulated by the southern state's government. - **In Uttar Pradesh:** The state allocated 3 crore rupees each to non-playing squad member Vipraj Nigam and star performer Deepti Sharma. This demonstrates an aggressive incentive policy providing major financial backing to registered state athletes. ## Why this happened The sharp disparity in monetary awards stems from independent state sports reward policies rather than a centralized national payout structure. - **Independent state policies:** State administrations formulate their own discretionary reward tiers and incentive schemes for international medal winners. Consequently, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh allocated funds according to their respective guidelines and budgetary decisions. - **Participation versus squad inclusion:** Uttar Pradesh rewarded roster members uniformly, granting 3 crore rupees to Vipraj Nigam despite him remaining on the bench throughout the tournament. In contrast, Tamil Nadu assigned 75 lakh rupees to Washington Sundar, who took 2 wickets in the final. - **Recognition of sustained sporting contribution:** Deepti Sharma secured 3 wickets for 6 runs in the final to dismiss Sri Lanka for 69 while chasing 216. Her existing role as a UP Police DSP and longstanding contribution supported the state's decision to grant her 3 crore rupees. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. How much prize money did the Tamil Nadu government announce for Washington Sundar? The Tamil Nadu government announced a cash prize of 75 lakh rupees for Washington Sundar. ### 2. What reward did the Uttar Pradesh government declare for Vipraj Nigam? The Uttar Pradesh government declared a cash award of 3 crore rupees for Vipraj Nigam. ### 3. What was Washington Sundar's performance in the final against Pakistan? Washington Sundar delivered an economical spell in the final, taking 2 wickets for 29 runs. ### 4. What was the match score in the Asian Games 2026 men's cricket final? India posted 211 runs in 20 overs, while Pakistan was restricted to 192 runs in reply. ### 5. How much prize money has been awarded to Deepti Sharma by the Uttar Pradesh government? The Uttar Pradesh government announced an award of 3 crore rupees for Deepti Sharma. ### 6. What were Deepti Sharma's bowling figures in the women's final against Sri Lanka? Deepti Sharma produced figures of 3 wickets for 6 runs in the final against Sri Lanka. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._