CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday said the budgetary allocation for sports infrastructure in Tamil Nadu has more than tripled after DMK assumed charge and stood at1,945 crores.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the closing ceremony of the CM Trophy 2025, held at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.
“The previous AIADMK govt allocated 170 crore for sports infrastructure development, while the current DMK govt had allocated 601 crores. The total allocation to the sports department under the DMK govt is at1,945 crores,” Stalin said.
Tamil Nadu is witnessing a “Golden Age” in sports under the Dravidian Model of governance, with the state emerging as a preferred destination for hosting both national and international tournaments, he said.
Stalin handed over trophies to winners from Chennai, Chengalpattu, and Coimbatore districts, which secured the first, second, and third places respectively.
This year’s CM Trophy featured 196 events across 37 disciplines, including athletics, tennis, basketball, football, and weightlifting, conducted under five categories – schools, colleges, differently-abled persons, government employees, and the general public.
Chennai topped the table with 281 medals (109 gold, 90 silver, and 82 bronze), followed by Chengalpattu with 88 medals (36 gold, 22 silver, and 30 bronze), and Coimbatore with 95 medals (33 gold, 27 silver, and 35 bronze).
Taking cue from last year’s success, 16.28 lakh people registered online to participate this year. “For the first time, we also conducted e-sports competitions this year. All events were held in a transparent manner through the Games Management System, and participants could track updates and scores via a WhatsApp ChatBot,” he added.
Speaking about the rise in patronage in CM Trophy over the years, Stalin said, “In 2023, four lakh players participated at the CM Trophy event, when it was conducted for the first time, but in 2025, the event witnessed 16 lakhs players.”
Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said the intention behind organising the CM Trophy every year was to identify and bring out the talents of sports persons in Tamil Nadu.
Referring to various means of support being extended by the Tamil Nadu government as well as the Tamil Nadu Champions Foundation, Udhayanidhi Stalin called upon sportspersons to make use of such opportunities to hone their talent.
Chennai Mayor R. Priya, Central Chennai MP Dayanidhi Maran, Egmore MLA I. Paranthamen and senior officials were present on the occasion.
