Guj Olympic participants to get RS 10L each from govt

Gandhinagar: Six women athletes from Gujarat, who are part of the Indian contingents for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and also the Paralympic Games, will receive financial assistance of Rs10 lakh each from the state government, officials said on Wednesday.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani took the decision to give Rs10 lakh to each of these six sportswomen to boost their morale and motivate them ahead of the twin events, said a government release. 

This is the first time in 60 years that players from Gujarat have qualified for the Olympics, it added.

The quadrennial international multi-sport event will be held in Tokyo from July 23 to August 08, while the Paralympic Games will take place in the Japanese capital from August 24 to September 05.

The female athletes selected from Gujarat to represent India at the Tokyo Olympics are Maana Patel (swimming), Ankita Raina (tennis) and Elavenil Valarivan (shooting).

Three other women players who have qualified for the Paralympics are Parul Parmar (badminton), Bhavina Patel and Sonal Patel (table tennis), it said.

Rupani congratulated the players for their selection and wished them luck.

The state has also decided that blind sportspersons who have medaled in international competitions will be appointed to specific posts in Class I and II category.

Also on Wednesday, Rupani launched the website and app for Science City, to aid visitors in planning their visit there.  

Further, the government has announced that, since Vijay Rupani completes five years as CM on August 7, the state will host a week-long programme to mark the event. It also said that the state’s Independence Day programme will be held in Junagadh.