GIVING a major financial boost to sportsperson in general and medal winners in particular, Maharashtra Government has opened its coffers for the sake of improvement in standard of sports in the State. A GR to the effect was released by Government of Maharashtra. India did exceedingly well in the recently concluded Hangzhou Asian Games winning more than 100 medals. Maharashtra athletes had a lion’s share in the same accounting for 32 of those and the State, after learning the cash prizes offered to medal winners by other states, felt it appropriate to raise the same for Maharashtra athletes. The State has raised the sum many folds for winners in individual as well as team events. Earlier, a gold medal fetched cash reward of Rs 10 lakh, silver Rs 7.5 lakh and bronze Rs 5 lakh. The coaches got richer by Rs 2.5 lakh, 1.875 lakh and 1.25 lakh correspondingly to the colour of the medal. According to the latest rules, there will be a difference in cash reward for individual and team events.

 

There is a ten-fold hike in amount for individual gold winner who now takes home Rs 1 crore for a gold medal won at Asian Games. The silver winner gets Rs 75 lakh while a bronze medal will get the player Rs 50 lakh. The respective figures for coaches are as: Rs 10 lakh, Rs 7.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh. In the team event, every player will get an incentive of Rs 75 lakh for helping the team win gold. A silver finish will pay them Rs 50 lakh each while bronze will fetch Rs 25 lakh. The coaches or trainers also stand to win cash rewards. They will be getting Rs 7.5 lakh, Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2.5 for their wards’ efforts. The athletes who represented India but returned empty handed from Games, will get Rs 10 lakh each. City archer Ojas Deotale won triple golds in the Games.

 

He won an individual gold while two of his top finishes came in team events. Thus, he stands to get Rs One crore for individual gold and his two team golds will fetch him Rs 1.5 crore (Rs 75 lakh x 2) making it Rs 2.5 crore. Vidarbha wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma, who made India debut in T20 cricket at Hangzhou stands to gain Rs 75 lakh as he helped India bag the yellow metal. Other city player, shuttler Malvika Bansod, who was part of women’s badminton team and hoopster Siya Deodhar, who was part of 3x3 basketball team, did not win any medal but according to the new GR both stand to get Rs 10 lakh each for their participation in the Games.