HYDERABAD: After a dull Olympics for India, Tamil Nadu’s Mariyappan Thangavelu won a gold medal in the men’s high jump T-42 event at the Rio Paralympics.
Thangavelu was joined by Varun Singh Bhati, who clinched a bronze in the same event. It’s the first time two Indians have stood on a podium together, at the Olympics.
The spectacular feat evoked close to zero offers of rewards from states who had rushed to declare awards for Olympics medallists P.V Sindhu and Sakshi Malik and Dipa Karmakar who came close.
All that the medal-winning high jumpers got was congratulatory messages from a few. Thangavelu is receiving Rs 2 crore from the Jayalithaa government and the Union sports ministry in a tweet declared he would receive Rs 75 lakh.
Bhati, from Greater Noida, would be awarded Rs 30 lakh. As of Saturday night, there have been no more tweets announcing rewards — quite unlike the frenzy that followed Sindhu’s and Sakshi’s medals.
Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chamundi not sure
Asked if Telangana state would reward Thanvavelu, Sports Authority of Telangana MD A. Dinakar Babu said he would bring up the issue with the government. AP minister K. Atchannaidu said his government would examine honouring medal winners from Andhra Pradesh.
V. Chamundeswarnath, who had gifted Sindhu, Sakshi and Deepa and badminton coach P. Gopichand BMWs, said he had no plans yet. “I kept my promise before the Olympics — about rewarding medallists from Telangana and AP. Originally, only P.V. Sindhu and Gopichand were to be presented the cars but due to an initiative by Indian Olympic contingent brand ambassador Sachin Tendulkar, the gesture was extended to Sakshi Malik (wrestling) and Dipa Karmakar (gymnast), who also performed well.”
The Rio Summer Olympics athletes had received cash rewards and cars from several individuals and governments. Sindhu received prizes worth '13 crore and Sakshi received rewards from Delhi, the Madhya Pradesh and Haryana governments.
Actor Salman Khan had announced a cheque of Rs 1 lakh to every athlete who had participated in the Olympics. So far, there's no word from the actor about a possible reward for a gold and bronze — in the same event.
