Tamil Nadu Awards ₹1.55 Crore to Asian Games Medalist Vidhya Ramraj

The Tamil Nadu government has honoured athlete Vidhya Ramraj with a cash award of ₹1.55 crore for her outstanding performance at the 2026 Asian Games held in Japan. Chief Minister Vijay presented the cheque during a felicitation ceremony organised by the state government for medal-winning athletes.

Tamil Nadu secured a total of 85 medals at the Asian Games, including 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze medals, finishing fourth in the overall standings.

Vidhya Ramraj`s Medal-Winning Performance

Vidhya Ramraj, an athlete from Meenakshipuram in Coimbatore district, won three medals at the Asian Games. Her achievements included:

- Gold Medal: 4 × 400-metre relay

- Silver Medal: 4 × 400-metre mixed relay

- Bronze Medal: 400-metre hurdles

In the 400-metre hurdles, Vidhya completed the race in 54.75 seconds, breaking the 42-year-old national record associated with P. T. Usha.

Vidhya Ramraj Thanks Tamil Nadu Government

Speaking at the event, Vidhya Ramraj expressed gratitude to the Tamil Nadu government and her coach, Nehpal Singh, for supporting her journey. She encouraged young people to give their full effort, remain confident and continue working towards their goals.

State Government Felicitates Medal Winners

The ceremony recognised athletes who won medals at the Asian Games and other international competitions, including the Chess Olympiad. During the event, Minister Aadhav Arjuna highlighted the government`s aim of developing state-level sporting competitions for transgender people and expanding opportunities in sports.

The state government also highlighted its increased allocation for the sports sector, which exceeded ₹1,000 crore for the first time, according to the remarks made at the event.