Haryana Asiad champs get Rs 3 crore, Himachal raiders await their Rs 15 lakh

Ambika Sharma

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Solan, October 21

Even as the Himachal Government is yet to offer cash rewards and jobs to five women kabaddi players from the state who won the gold at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on October 7, the Haryana Government has granted Rs 3 crore and a job to Ritu Negi, captain of the Indian kabaddi team.

5 players in kabaddi gold winning team

Five women players from Himachal — Ritu Negi, Pushpa Rana and Sushma from Shillai, Jyoti Thakur (Solan) and Nidhi (Bilaspur) — had played a significant role in ensuring the team’s victory at the Asian Games

Hailing from a remote non-descript village of Shirog in the Bandli panchayat of Shillai, Ritu is married to Haryana’s Rohit Gulia, who is also a national kabaddi player.

Five women players — Ritu Negi, Pushpa Rana and Sushma from Shillai, Jyoti Thakur from Solan and Nidhi from Bilaspur — had played a significant role in ensuring the team’s victory at the Asian Games. Though the state government has announced a cash reward of Rs 15 lakh each to the players, it is yet to be granted. “According to the policy of the Sports Department, 3 per cent reservation is granted to outstanding sportsmen who excel at the international level in various Class III and Class IV jobs as per their qualification. The state government may consider their case for posts such as that of DSP after seeking Cabinet approval as per the policy,” said Rajeev Kumar, Director, Sports.

A special budget has been sought from the state government to grant Rs 15 lakh to the kabaddi players following the recent announcement by the government.

An international kabaddi player, who is also a Padma Shri, Arjuna and Parshuram Gaurav awardee, Ajay Thakur, was granted the job of a DSP in 2017.

The Haryana Government has granted a cash reward of Rs 3 crore each to gold medallists, Rs 1.5 crore each to silver medallists and Rs 75 lakh each to bronze medallists along with commendation and job offer letters.