Four years on, Phogat sisters await cash awards

Sat Singh

Tribune News Service

Bhiwani, September 6

The Phogat sisters and their cousins — Geeta, Babita, Vinesh, Sangita and Ritu — have not received the cash prizes amounting nearly Rs50 lakh announced by the state government for their international achievements in wrestling for the past four years.

Taking up the matter, their coach and former state wrestler Mahabir Phogat wrote a letter to Sports Minister Anil Vij and the Sports Director to draw their attention towards the issue.

In the letter, Mahabir said: “My five daughters have not received the cash awards for many of their national and international achievements from 2012-13 to 2014-15. We had submitted their application forms for the cash awards in your office and even approached the head office in Panchkula many times. But till date, the girls have not received the cash awards for most of their medals.”

On Vinesh Phogat, Mahabir, who received the Dronacharya Award recently, said that the government had announced to bear the medical expenses of the Olympian who sustained knee injury in the Rio Olympics, but no official had approached them so far.

Babita Phogat said that she was given the Arjuna Award in 2015 and the state government had announced Rs5 lakh for her, but it had failed to reach despite sending several reminders to the department.

Rahul Phogat, brother of Phogat sisters, told the media the family of wrestlers was upset with the attitude of the Sports Department and they were being forced to apply again and again for the cash awards.

Phogat first shot to limelight after his elder daughter Geeta won the gold medal in 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, later her footsteps were followed by Babita and cousins Vinesh, Ritu and Sangita.