The Uttar Pradesh government is set to appoint Indian cricketer Rinku Singh as a Regional Sports Officer (RSO), as reported by India Today. He was a part of India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad. The Men in Blue defeated New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Rinku had to return home after his father passed away after batting with Stage IV cancer. Despite the challenges, Rinku remained committed to the team.

The Uttar Pradesh government rewards athletes who excelled in national and international tournaments. The government is offering jobs, cash rewards, and other honors to the top performers.

Rinku is not alone in this recognition. Rajkumar Pal, a member of the Indian hockey team that won bronze at the Paris Olympics, will also be appointed as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). Rajkumar, from Ghazipur, is among the athletes who were honored by the state government.

A total of six international medalists will be rewarded. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will officially hand over their appointment letters during a ceremony at Lok Bhavan. Among the honourees are Paralympic gold medalist Praveen Kumar from Gautam Buddh Nagar, who will also serve as DSP, and Paralympic silver medallist Ajit Singh from Etawah, who will become a District Panchayat Raj Officer. Paralympic 200m bronze medallist Simran from Ghaziabad will also receive a similar appointment.

Preetipal, who earned bronze medals in both the 100m and 200m events at the Paralympics, will be appointed as a Block Development Officer (BDO) in Muzaffarnagar.

The ceremony will also recognize nine athletes with the prestigious Lakshman Award and Rani Lakshmibai Award for the 2024–25 year, each receiving a cash prize of Rs 3.11 lakh and a bronze statuette. In total, Rs 1.64 crore in cash rewards will be distributed to 14 athletes, and 19 other players will receive Rs 8.75 lakh in financial assistance from the Eklavya Sports Fund.

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