Rs 33 crore prize to Noida DM, Paralympians

LUCKNOW:  UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday felicitated Tokyo Paralympics medalists. They distributed cash prizes of Rs 32.50 crore at a grand function at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology in Meerut.

Making a special mention of Noida district magistrate Suhas L Y, Yogi said: “I posted him in Noida during the pandemic and he did exemplary work in covid management. Besides, he also worked hard on his sports skills to win a medal at the Tokyo Paralympics.”Yogi announced a promotion for Suhas L Y along with a cash prize of Rs 4 crore for his achievements.

Yogi hailed the vision of PM Modi providing a platform to upcoming talents in sports through the ‘Khelo 
India’ and ‘Saansad Khel Pratiyogita’ schemes. India won 19 medals at the Tokyo Paralympics, where 54 para-athletes from across nine sports disciplines represented the nation. This was India’s biggest ever contingent to the Paralympic Games.

Announcing the first sports university to be set up in Meerut, Yogi said its construction work would begin soon. “It will be named after great hockey player Major Dhyan Chand,” he said. Yogi said medallist paralympians from across the country had been invited for the felicitation. He announced the cash prizes of Rs 2 crore for gold medallists, Rs 1.5 crore for silver medallists and Rs 1 crore for those who bagged bronze.

He also announced Rs 25 lakh cash prizes each to six para-athletes from UP who represented the country at the Tokyo Paralympics but could not win medals. The cash prizes of Rs 10 lakh each were also announced for the coaches of the players.