The Delhi government on Thursday doubled the cash reward for Olympic silver medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar to Rs 2 crore from the earlier announced amount of Rs 1 crore. The decision to raise the cash award was taken at a cabinet meeting presided over by chief minister Sheila Dikshit. ‘We have decided to present an award of Rs 2 crore to Sushil Kumar. He made the whole country proud and the cabinet felt we should enhance the award,’ Dikshit said after the meeting. Kumar, who hails from Delhi, is the first Indian wrestler to strike silver in wrestling competitions at Olympics. Dikshit had announced an award of Rs 1 crore after he won the silver medal on Sunday in the 66kg freestyle wrestling event Kumar recorded his name in the country’s sports history annals by becoming the first ever sportsperson to win back-to-back individual Olympic medals, having won a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Wrestling and shooting provided India two medals each, while women boxing and badminton added one medal each.
The government also decided to give financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the two brothers who were among the six people killed in the recent shooting in a gurudwara in the United States. The decision to this effect was taken at a cabinet meeting presided by chief minister Sheila Dikshit.
‘We will give Rs two lakh each to both the families,’ Dikshit said.
Ranjit Singh and his younger brother Sita Singh had lost their lives when a former US soldier opened fire in the gurudwara in Wisconsin on last Sunday, in a case of hate crime. Families of both Ranjit and Sita live in Chand Nagar area of Vishnu Garden in west Delhi.
Dikshit said Delhi government will also take care of education of the children of both the families. The victims were the only earning members of their families. Education minister Arvinder Singh Lovely, who had visited the families last week, said wives of both Ranjit and Sita Singh will be provided job by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee.
Ranjit had left for the US 16 years ago when his son was just seven months old and had not visited India since then. His family said he was planning to visit the family this Diwali.
Wrestling and shooting provided India two medals each, while women boxing and badminton added one medal each.
The government also decided to give financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the two brothers who were among the six people killed in the recent shooting in a gurudwara in the United States. The decision to this effect was taken at a cabinet meeting presided by chief minister Sheila Dikshit.
‘We will give Rs two lakh each to both the families,’ Dikshit said.
Ranjit Singh and his younger brother Sita Singh had lost their lives when a former US soldier opened fire in the gurudwara in Wisconsin on last Sunday, in a case of hate crime. Families of both Ranjit and Sita live in Chand Nagar area of Vishnu Garden in west Delhi.
Dikshit said Delhi government will also take care of education of the children of both the families. The victims were the only earning members of their families. Education minister Arvinder Singh Lovely, who had visited the families last week, said wives of both Ranjit and Sita Singh will be provided job by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee.
Ranjit had left for the US 16 years ago when his son was just seven months old and had not visited India since then. His family said he was planning to visit the family this Diwali.