Chief Minister honours International Medal Winners with cash prizes worth Rs. 14.77 crore

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu distributed cash prizes amounting to Rs. 14.77 crore to 21 international medal winners at a grand ceremony organized here today. Among the recipients, Paralympian Nishad Kumar from Una district was awarded Rs. 7.80 crore for his outstanding achievements, including a silver medal in the Tokyo Paralympics 2022, a silver medal in the Paris Paralympics 2024, a gold medal in the Para Asian Games China 2023 and a silver medal in the World Games Portugal 2022.

The Chief Minister presented Rs. 2.50 crore to Ajay Kumar from Mandi district for winning a silver medal in the Para Asian Games China 2023,  Rs. 33.32 lakh to Ritu Negi Kabaddi player from Sirmaur district for Paralympics 2022 for leading the Indian Kabaddi team to victory at the Asian Games China 2023. She had also won a silver medal in the Asian Games Jakarta 2018.

Three other Kabaddi players from Sirmaur, Kumari Pushpa, Kumari Sushma Sharma, and Kumari Nidhi Sharma, were each awarded Rs. 33.32 lakh for being part of the gold medal-winning Indian Kabaddi team at the Asian Games China 2023. Kabaddi player Kumari Jyoti from Solan district and Vishal Bhardwaj from Una district also received Rs. 33.32 lakh each for their contributions to the same competition.

Fencing player Jyotika Dutta from Shimla district was awarded Rs. 3 lakh for representing India in the Asian Games China 2023 and the Asian Games Jakarta 2018. Handball players Kumari Diksha, Kumari Shalini Thakur, Kumari Priyanka Thakur and Kumari Nidhi Sharma from Bilaspur district, along with Kumari Mitali Sharma, Kumari Bhavana and Kumari Menaka from Solan district were awarded with Rs. 3 lakh each for representing India in handball at the Asian Games China 2023.

The Chief Minister presented Rs. 3 lakh to Anjali Devi from Mandi district for leading the country in the Para Asian Games China 2023 in the Boshiya Para Sports Competition. Apart from this cricketer Renuka Singh Thakur from Shimla district received Rs. 13.32 lakh for securing a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham. Weightlifter Vikas Thakur from Hamirpur district was honoured with Rs. 2 crore for winning a silver medal in the individual event at the same games.

Sh. Sukhu awarded Ashish Kumar from Mandi district with Rs. 5 lakh for representing India in boxing at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, while Olympian shooter Vijay Kumar from Hamirpur district received Rs. 2 lakh for representing the country.

On the occasion, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also honoured Padma Shri awardee Ajay Thakur and other prominent personalities from the sports fraternity for their contributions in various games.