Gujarat shooter Elavenil Valarivan was presented with a cheque of ₹1.33 crore under the state government’s Khel Pratibha Puraskar Yojana for winning two silver medals in rifle shooting at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.
Valarivan won silver medals in both the women’s 10m air rifle individual and team events, bringing recognition to India and Gujarat.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi handed over the prize and congratulated the 25-year-old shooter. He said the Gujarat government was committed to providing athletes with the training facilities and support required to compete at the international level. He also highlighted the role of parents in encouraging and supporting young athletes.
Sanghavi said Valarivan had trained at the Sanskardham complex under the state government’s DLSS scheme. He described her Asian Games achievements as a matter of pride for Gujarat and said athletes emerging from such programmes could inspire more youngsters to take up sports.
According to the state government, Valarivan has received ₹1.33 crore under the Shaktidoot Yojana and Olympic Incentive Scheme, while another ₹74 lakh was provided through programmes including the DLSS scheme and Khel Mahakumbh. Her total financial assistance from the Gujarat government stands at ₹2.41 crore.
Valarivan, who considers Gujarat her karmabhumi, lives in Ahmedabad’s Maninagar area and has been associated with the state’s Shaktidoot Yojana since 2017-18. She is currently in the scheme’s A category.
Her international career includes appearances at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2024 Paris Olympics. She won gold at the ISSF World Cup in Rio de Janeiro in 2019 with a score of 251.7.
The Government of India conferred the Arjuna Award on Valarivan in 2022. She has also won medals at several international events, including the Junior World Cups in Suhl and Sydney, the Asian Airgun Championship, the World University Games in Chengdu, and competitions in Munich and Kazakhstan.