CM DVS Gowda to give 5 state hockey heroes Rs 5L
BANGALORE: Chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda announced cash awards of Rs 5 lakh each to the five hockey players from Karnataka who played stellar roles in scything India’s path to London Olympics. Captain and goalkeeper Bharat Chetri, defenders Ignace Tirkey and VR Raghunath and frontliners SV Sunil and SK Uthappa, who were part of the Indian team which defeated France 8-1 in the final of Olympic qualifiers in New Delhi on Sunday, will be felicitated by the CM in March.
The Department of Youth Services and Sports had also recommended Rs 1 lakh each for three support staff, including assistant coach BJ Kariappa, but no decision has been taken on that front so far. “I will soon hold a felicitation function to present the awards,” Gowda said.
Chetri, Tirkey, Raghunath and Sunil also hope that they would be honoured for another trophy triumph last year. In fact, Gowda, who also holds the sports portfolio, had announced Rs 5 lakh each for the four players for having been part of the Indian team which won the Asian Champions Trophy in Ordos, China, in September.
VR Raghunath said the award had come as a boost. “I am thankful to the CM for his gesture. I am happy that our feats are being recognised. Such encouragement will only push us to perform better at the Olympics,” he told TOI. Raghunath, who was one of the members of the team which failed to qualify for the Olympics in 2008, said the victory in New Delhi had helped in erasing bitter memories. “We were dejected four years ago. But I had made up my mind to work towards qualifying for the Olympics. What we achieved in Delhi on Sunday will spell a big turnaround for the game.”