The Union Sports Ministry has provided financial assistance worth around Rs.10.19 crore from the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) on customised training for 52 elite sportspersons to help them prepare for the London Olympics and other major international events.
Under Operation Excellence 2012, nine shooters (including one paralympic shooter), eight athletes and nine tennis players have been provided financial assistance. In addition, four men and five women in gymnastics have been sponsored from the NSDF.
Training expenses for boxer M.C. Mary Kom will also be covered under this.
So far, the Government has spent Rs. 4.67 crore on shooters, Rs. 2.69 crore on athletes, Rs. 1.69 crore on tennis players, Rs. 89.91 lakh on gymnasts and Rs. 23.84 lakh on the boxers.
The assistance sanctioned is towards extensive training abroad, engagement of personal coaches (both foreign and Indian), competition exposures abroad, scientific back-up in terms of sports psychologists, physiotherapists and masseurs.
Beijing Olympics gold medallist Abhinav Bindra (Rs. 1.31 crore), Manavjit Singh Sandhu (Rs. 1.13 crore) and Ronjan Sodhi (Rs. 1.10 crore) are some the biggest beneficiaries among the shooters.
Shot-putter Om Prakash (Rs. 58.73 lakh), discus throwers Krishna Poonia (Rs. 58.01 lakh) and Vikas Gowda (Rs. 39.94 lakh) among athletes and tennis players Mahesh Bhupathi (Rs. 42.66 lakh) and Sania Mirza (Rs. 40.72 lakh) are some of the other top beneficiaries.
Article source: http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/article3679301.ece
Kerala News
