Bhubaneswar: 2018 Para Asian Games medallists Jayanti Behera and Pramod Bhagat were awarded with cash prizes of Rs 60,000,00 and Rs 70,000,00 respectively for their superlative performances by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, at the Kalinga Stadium complex here Monday.
While Jayanti clinched a silver (women’s 400m) and a bronze (women’s 100m), Pramod bagged the yellow metal in the men’s singles badminton event of the mega tournament. Visually-impaired chess brothers Soundarya Kumar Pradhan and Prachurya Kumar Pradhan were also presented with cash awards of Rs 20,000,00 each for their silver winning shows at the 2018 Para Asian Games.
Apart from them, Naveen also gave cash awards to the 2018 Asian Games participants Jauna Murmu, Purnima Hembram (both athletics), Rakesh Kumar Patra (gynmastics), Rutuparna Panda (badminton) and Sanjukta Dung Dung (rowing).
The U-17 and U-21 boy’s hockey teams, U-17 girl’s hockey team and the U-17 women’s football team were also felicitated with cash prizes for their medal winning shows at the inaugural edition of the Khelo India Youth Games (KYIG) last year along with the Rising Student Football Club, which won the Indian Women’s League last season.
There were also cash awards for the players coming from rugby, judo, weightlifting, archery, gymnastics, baseball and kho-kho in the category of outstanding sportspersons for the 2017-18 season.
Speaking at the occasion, Pramod thanked the state government for their continuous support. “I thank the state government for their continuous support.”
However, both Soundarya and Prachurya had a different opinion regarding the differences made in the cash prizes for the para-athletes and the normal athletes. “I would humbly request the state government that next time there should be no difference in the cash awards given to a disabled and a non-disable sportsperson,” Soundarya said.