NE Olympians, National Games medallists awarded

IMPHAL, September 15: NEC Chairman Sports Awards were distributed to the ten Olympians of North East Sates and the medallists of the Jharkhand National Games 2011 at the inauguration function of the 3-day seminar on the development of sports in North Eastern states at MFDC Auditorium, Palace Gate today.  

London Games medalist  MC Mary Kom receives the award from CM Ibobi (center) and DoNER Minister  Ghatowar

The award function is jointly organized by Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of Manipur and Manipur Olympic Association.

The function was attended by Chief Minister O Ibobi, Union Minister of State (i/c) DoNER/Chairman NEC Paban Singh Ghatowar and president of Manipur Olympic Association, Bijoy Koijam as chief guest president and guest of honour respectively.

The function was also attended by Dr T Meina Singh, MP, Lok Sabha, Thangso Baite, NEC Secretary UK Sangma and other MLAs and officials of sports organizations of the state.  

The awards function saw only five Olympians out of 10. They are MC Mary Kom, bronze medalist (boxing 51 kg), L Devendro (boxing), Ng Sonia Chanu (weight-lifting) of Manipur, Chekrovolu Swuro (archery) of Nagaland and Shiva Thapa (boxing) of Assam.

The Olympians who have failed to turn up at the function are Kh Kothajit (hockey) and L Bombayla (archery) of Manipur, Tarundeep Rai (archery) of Sikkim, Jayanta Talukdar (Archery) of Assam and Somdev Kishore Devvarman (tennis) of Tripura.

Union Minister of State (i/c) DoNER/Chairman NEC, Paban Singh handed the award of rupees forty lakh cheque along with a citation to the Olympians Mary Kom. Other Olympians were awarded a cash prize of rupees five lakh each.

157 medallists of Jharkhand National Games were also awarded with cash prize.

Cyclist Ch Rameshwori who bagged five golds and one silver at the national games was awarded a cash prize of rupees 17 lakh. Players who bagged gold at the national games were awarded cash prize of rupees three lakh each, silver medallists were awarded rupees two lakh each and bronze medallists were awarded rupees one lakh each. A total sum of rupees 5.56 crore were awarded to the medallists of the national games at the function.

A laptop each was also presented to the five Olympians of the state by Sarajeevan Welfare Association.