No award, Asian Games medallist feels left out

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 17

BSF jawan Gurlal Singh, who became India’s first para-cyclist since 1951 to win a bronze medal for the country in the Asian Para Games, seldom finds a place in the records of the state government.

Harshly treated

I am the only breadwinner of my family of four. My daughter has a heart ailment since birth. I wanted the award money to be utilised for her treatment. Being a sportsperson, I deserve equal dignity. — Gurlal Singh, Para-cyclist

On July 22, Sports Minister Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi honoured three para-sportsmen — Paramjit Kumar (powerlifting) from Jalandhar, Mohammad Yaseer (shotput) from Sangrur and Raj Kumar (badminton) from Patiala and awarded them Rs 50 lakh each for their accomplishments in ‘special’ disciplines in the Asian Para Games, 2018.

Minister promises support

I will look into how Gurlal’s case was skipped. If he is found deserving, I will extend him his due honour. — Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, Sports Minister

Ironically, Gurlal, who won a bronze medal in the 4-km time trial in the C4 category (athletes with 60 per cent disability) in the same meet, was not honoured by the state government.

Minister Sodhi said, “I will look into how his case was skipped. If he was found deserving, I will extend him his due honour. As per the amended sports policy, the para-sports players are honoured at par with the normal category players,” he said.

Reacting over it, Gurlal said, “It is sad to see that the state government is ignorant of my achievements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had honoured me along with 72 other players two days after the event in 2018 in New Delhi. I appeal to the state Sports Ministry to consider me at par with my colleagues,” he said.

Hailing from Nanoke village in Ajnala, Gurlal had lost his left leg while trying to save a fellow soldier who was injured in a mine blast near the LoC on December 25, 2010.

Gurlal had also won a bronze medal in the 4-km time trial at Tashkent (Uzbekistan) in April 2019 and is now preparing for his next target of 2022 Asian Para

Games. At present, he is training at the Aditya Mehta Foundation Academy in Hyderabad.

“I am the only breadwinner for my family of four. My daughter has a heart ailment since birth. I wanted the award money to be utilised for her treatment. Being a sportsperson, I deserve equal dignity,” he said.