MP to award Blind World Cup winner

Swati Dey

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 10

After initially denying any reward for a star blind cricketer, who has been a multiple winner with the Indian team, the Madhya Pradesh government has finally announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh for the World Cup winner. Sonu Golkar, the B1 (totally blind) category player, was earlier denied any prize money as Madhya Pradesh, unlike other states, has “no provision” to reward disabled players. 

Golkar said he had written many times to Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the Department of Sports and Youth Welfare, seeking an award for his performances, but to no avail. Golkar has been part of the Indian team since 2015. India won the Asia Cup in 2016, the T20 World Cup in 2017, and the Blind ODI World Cup this year with Golkar in the squad. 

After The Tribune published Golkar’s story on May 6, he got a call from Thawar Chand Gehlot, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, on May 7. Gehlot said that the reward had been approved but was stuck in administrative procedures, Golkar said.

Subsequently, he received a letter dated May 8 from the state’s Social Justice and Disability Welfare Department, confirming the reward. Though there is no provision of rewarding disabled players, the state has agreed to reward Golkar under a state rule of aid for the destitute and poor.