Cash awards for Manipur sportspersons who win medals in Olympics

Our Correspondent
Imphal, June 28 (EMN): Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday announced that the Manipur government would provide cash rewards to states’ sportspersons who win medals in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics Games scheduled from July 23 to August 8.

Biren Singh said that the state government would offer gold medallists a cash prize of INR 1.2 crore, silver medallists INR 1 crore, and bronze medallists INR 75 lakh.

He made the announcement during the launching of selfie point to cheer Indian Olympic contingents in a solemn function held at the chief minister’s official bungalow in Imphal, says a statement.

Biren Singh also said the government would provide a cash incentive of INR 25 lakh to the five participants who would be representing the country in the Olympics.  Manipur, popularly known as a sporting powerhouse, is set to send five sportspersons to represent the country.

The five sportspersons includes six times world champion pugilist MC Mary Kom (Women’s Boxing 51 kg), former Indian women national team captain Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam (Women’s Hockey), Shanglakpam Nilakanta (Men’s Hockey), Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (Women’s 49 kg) and Likmabam Shushlia Devi (Women’s Judo 48 kg).

Expressing confidence that the state athletes would win medals for the country, he wished success to all the five athletes on behalf of the people of Manipur.

Later in a tweet on Monday, Biren Singh wrote, “Launched the Tokyo Olympic #Cheer4india campaign in Manipur too as a way of cheering the athletes representing India. We are initiating activities like Olympic Quiz, fan engagement drives, Olympic Symposium and also setting up selfie points to click pictures & show their support”.

The minister of Youth Afairs and Sports, Letpao Haokip, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Th Satyabrata, Chairman of Planning and Development Authority, T Robindro Singh, MP of Rajya Sabha, Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba, MLA of Langthabal constituency, Karam Shyam and officials of Youth Affairs and Sports department were present during the function.

In the last Olympics games held at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, six sportspersons including weightlifter Mirabai, hockey player Sushila from Manipur represented the country.

According to Manipur Olympic Association, Manipur has so far produced 19 Olympians including P Nilakamol, the first Olympian as goalkeeper for India’s men hockey team in the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.