Times of India: Punjab yet to pay Junior World Cup winners prize money

By Pratyush Raj

CHANDIGARH: It took then Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal just 24 hours to announce Rs 25 lakh each for 10 junior hockey players from the state after the Indian colts won the world cup in Lucknow on December 18, last year.

Eight months down the line, none of the players have received the prize money that was guaranteed to them by the state government.

The 10 players from the winning India team were: skipper Harjeet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Krishan Pathak, Gurinder Singh, Vikramjit Singh, Mandeep Singh, Simranjit Singh, Parvinder Singh and Gurjant Singh.
Drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh, who was instrumental in India’s victorious campaign, shared his disappointment over Punjab government’s lax attitude.

“It has been eight months now and I haven’t heard anything from the state government or the sports department yet. It’s very disappointing,” he told TOI.

Another member of the side, forward Parvinder Singh stated that he had lost all hopes of getting the prize money. “I have lost all hope now. I can only play the sport and try to excel in it. These (getting the promised prize money) things are not in our hands, we can just wait,” he said earnestly.

Goalkeeper of the team, Krishan Pathak feels its betrayal on the part of the state government. Pathak lost his father to a heart attack, two days before the junior world cup. He had lost his mother when he was 12.

“I am an orphan now. I have no one waiting for me at home. Actually, I am not sure if I have a place, which I can call home. The amount that was promised would have been really useful,” said an emotional Pathak.

Coach of the team, Harendra Singh was also shocked to know that the players weren’t rewarded yet.
“It is appalling that the state government has not rewarded them yet. Most of them come from humble backgrounds. Their fathers are either farmers or daily wage labourers,” Harendra said.

“Hockey has become a very expensive sport nowadays. The sum would have been very useful for them and their family,” he added.

JM Balamurugan, secretary sports and youth affairs in the present Punjab government, specified that the incumbent office didn’t know about the announcement made by the previous leadership.

“I have recently joined and have no idea about such an announcement. But, I can assure that if such a promise was made, I’ll look into it,” said Balamurugan.

TOI also tried to contact Amrit Gill, director sports in Punjab government, but she didn’t respond to repeated calls.