Held in association with the Abhay Bhutada
Foundation, Padma Bhushan & Olympian Saina Nehwal felicitates winners from
across Maharashtra
Pune,
January 13, 2026 : The champions of Lokmat MahaGames,
Maharashtra’s largest inter-school multi-sport competition, were felicitated at
a grand state-level award ceremony held at The Ritz-Carlton, Pune. Padma
Bhushan & Olympian Saina Nehwal ji – Brand Ambassador, Lokmat MahaGames
presented gold medals and awards to outstanding student athletes, celebrating
excellence, discipline and sporting spirit among school children across the
state.
Organised
by Lokmat Campus Club and presented by the Abhay Bhutada Foundation, Lokmat
MahaGames is a flagship initiative under Lokmat’s Campus Club forum, aimed at
identifying and nurturing young sporting talent while instilling values of
teamwork, discipline and sportsmanship from an early age. The competition was
conducted across 12 regions of Maharashtra and culminated in a state-level championship.
The
ceremony witnessed the presence of Dr. Vijay Darda, Chairman, Lokmat Media
Group & Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (1998-2016); Ruchira Darda,
Director, Lokmat Campus Club & Founder, Maha Games; and Trupti Abhay
Bhutada, Co – Founder, the Abhay Bhutada Foundation. RJ and sports anchor RJ
Mantra hosted the event and conducted an engaging fireside chat with the
dignitaries, adding to the excitement of the evening.
Speaking
on the occasion, Dr. Vijay Darda, Chairman, Lokmat Media Group, said, “When
I look at these children, I see many future star players. Lokmat has always
supported sports and athletes, and through Lokmat MahaGames we have taken
another significant step forward. For true development of sports, it is
essential to keep it free from politics and focus purely on nurturing talent,
discipline and dedication.”
Ruchira
Darda, Director, Lokmat Campus Club, said, “Lokmat Campus
Club is deeply connected with students across Maharashtra, and Lokmat MahaGames
has emerged as an important platform to bring children onto the playing field.
This is a moment of immense pride for Lokmat. Our vision is to give future
Olympic players an opportunity to test and develop their skills from a young
age, and we strongly believe this initiative will nurture many outstanding
athletes in the years to come.”
Trupti
Abhay Bhutada, Co – Founder, Abhay Bhutada Foundation, added,
“Encouraging children to participate in sports is an investment in a healthier,
more disciplined and confident generation. Through our association with Lokmat
MahaGames, we are proud to support a platform that gives young talent from
across Maharashtra the opportunity to compete, grow and dream big. At the Abhay
Bhutada Foundation, our commitment to empowering children and communities through
meaningful initiatives will continue.”
Saina
Nehwal, Olympic medalist and Brand Ambassador of Lokmat MahaGames,
highlighted, “Discipline and consistency are non-negotiable for success in
sports or in life. Regular practice and hard work make the real difference.
Parents also play a very important role in guiding children, especially by
helping them stay away from excessive social media and remain focused on their
goals.”
Over
50,000 students from more than 2,500 schools across Maharashtra participated in
the tournament, competing across 12 sports disciplines including badminton,
football, athletics, swimming, chess, table tennis, kho-kho, fencing and
archery. The state-level competitions were held in Pune and Chhatrapati
Sambhajinagar, drawing enthusiastic participation from students, parents and
schools alike.
Adding
to the celebratory atmosphere, Saina Nehwal interacted closely with the young
athletes, signing autographs, posing for photographs and even playing badminton
with select gold medal winners, inspiring students through direct engagement.
Schools
achieving the highest medal tallies were awarded attractive cash prizes, with
the first prize receiving ₹5 lakh, the second prize ₹3 lakh and the third prize
₹2 lakh, further encouraging excellence and healthy competition among schools.
Lokmat
MahaGames continues to strengthen its position as a powerful platform for
discovering and encouraging young sports talent across Maharashtra, reaffirming
Lokmat’s commitment to holistic student development through education,
creativity and sports.
About
Lokmat Media Group:
Lokmat
Media Pvt. Ltd. is a leading media company with interests in a diversified
portfolio of publishing, broadcast, digital, entertainment and community.
Lokmat Media Group publishes India’s No.1 Marathi daily Lokmat, Lokmat Samachar
and Lokmat Times with a combined readership of 2.56 cr (source: All India,
Total readership, IRS 2019, Q4).
Keeping
abreast with the changing digital landscape, Lokmat Group makes its content
available for its readers through its multilingual news portals and mobile news
app. Lokmat.com, the largest digital Marathi platform monthly has about 24
million+ Users generating 400 million page views. Our social media channels do
approximately a total of 900 million video views. Taplight is Lokmat Media
Group’s experiential marketing division offering a comprehensive 360° marketing
mix solutions.
Lokmat
Media Group also curates a diverse portfolio of intellectual properties that
celebrate the spirit of progress like ‘Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year’,
‘Lokmat Most Stylish’, ‘Lokmat Women Summit’, ‘Lokmat Parliamentary Awards,
‘Lokmat Sarpanch Awards’, ‘Lokmat Infra Conclave’, ‘Lokmat Digital influencer
Awards’ where we create a powerful platform where achievement meets inspiration.
These aren’t just events; they are movements that shape the narrative of a
changing India.
About
Abhay Bhutada Foundation
The
Abhay Bhutada Foundation is a purpose-driven philanthropic organisation
committed to empowering children and communities through education, health,
sports and inclusion. Through sustained initiatives focused on youth
development and holistic well-being, the Foundation works to create equitable
access to opportunities and enable young talent to realise their full potential
across Maharashtra and beyond.
