Sports Ministry has given away the much awaited cash awards to sports personalities who have brought the nation fame at international venues in their respective fields, since 2010. The cash awards to the tune of Rs 2.12Cr were awarded to the deserving players by the Union Sports Minister Ajay Maken at the nation’s capital on Thursday. Nearly 158 personalities were honored at the event. Speaking to the media on the occasion, the Minister said, ` I congratulate all the athletes. We have 70 athletes who have already qualified for Olympics and hopefully there will be more. All those who win gold medals in Olympics will receive Rs.50 lakh, silver Rs.30 lakh and bronze Rs.20 lakh.’

The awards were given under the Ministry’s special initiative, 'Scheme of Special Awards for winners of medals in international events and their coaches.' The disciplines included archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, chess, judo, rowing swimming, tenpin, bowling weightlifting and winter sports.

Among the list of the awardees the following were prominent:
·    For their gold medals at the 2011 Commonwealth Senior Weighlifting Championships in Cape Town, Chandrakant Mali, Sandeep Kumar, Soniya Chanu, Hidam Devi and Hijam Chanu, were awarded Rs 3 Lakhs each.
·    India's women badminton combine of Ashwini Ponnapaa and Jwala Gutta received Rs.2.25 lakh each for their bronze medals in World Cup at London.
·    Archers Deepika Kumari (Rs.5 lakh) and Laishram Bombalya Devi (Rs.3.3 lakh).

Recognition by the government does foster a key role in the development of sports in the country. Not many sports like the Cricket and Tennis receive the pampering of sponsors. This cash award will definitely aid the sports fraternity to scale newer peak. (With Inputs from Internet- Aarkay)