Ministry provides cash awards to Paralympic winners for the first ti

by PIB Delhi

The Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment, Dr Virendra Kumar and Union Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri Ramdas Athawale felicitated Tokyo 2020 Paralympic medal winners and other members of the Indian contingent and their coaches at a ceremony held at the Convention Hall, Hotel Ashoka, New Delhi today. The felicitation ceremony was organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. Office bearers of Indian Paralympic Committee, namely, Shri Avinash Rai Khanna, Chief Patron, Ms Deepa Malik, President and Shri Gursharan Singh, Secretary General, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ms Anjali Bhawra and other senior officers of the Department were present in the felicitation ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Virendra Kumar, Minister, SJ&E congratulated all the medal winners and every member of the Indian Paralympic team for their outstanding effort in bringing glory to the nation. He also thanked the coaches of the Indian Paralympic team for their significant contribution in developing world class divyang sports persons in the country. He wished that with the combined efforts of divyang sports persons, their coaches and their families, the Paralympic sports will continue to rise and the Indian medal tally at the next Paralympics could be doubled.

MoS, Shri Ramdas Athawale congratulated the entire Indian Paralympic contingent, their escorts and their coaches for their magnificient performance in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics for winning record number of medals for the country.

For the first time the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has taken a decision to provide cash awards to Paralympic winners. Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment declared cash award of Rs 10 lakh for Gold Medal, Rs 8 lakh for Silver Medal and Rs 5 lakh for Bronze Medal winners. The cash award will be paid directly into the bank account of the players.