Karnataka: When kambala jockey's cheque was 'caught in jam'

BENGALURU: For a sportsman being feted for his speed, kambala star Shrinivas Gowda got a taste of the speed-breaker that is sarkari procedure, and Bengaluru traffic. First, chief minister BS Yediyurappa turned up 15 minutes late for the felicitation at Vidhana Soudha. The government award - a cheque of Rs 3 lakh - was "caught in traffic".
Gowda, a construction worker from Moodabidri and star Kambala jockey of Dakshina Kannada with 32 medals this season, was invited to Bengaluru after his and lined up vice-president Venkaiah Naidu and Union sports minister Kiren Rijiju among his fans.
The 28-year-old, who reached the Soudha conference hall around 3pm, waited for the CM and left the felicitation with a basket of fruits and sundry mementos, and "an appreciation letter" with a "promise" of Rs 3 lakh.
He waited another 45 minutes for the CM to return from a cabinet meeting and hand over the cheque, then headed for Malleswaram where he waited for deputy CM Ashwath Narayan at the latter's residence to be felicitated. Gowda was on a round of TV studios before reaching the Sports Authority of India centre where he was due for an event.