We have reserved Rs 6 crore for gold medallists: CM Siddu

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday highlighted the Karnataka government’s consistent commitment to sports funding at an awards ceremony. “I am always ready to provide the necessary facilities and encouragement to the state’s sportspersons. Continuous funding for the sports sector has been allocated in the state budget. I urge everyone from Karnataka to aim for an Olympic gold medal for the country,” said Siddaramaiah. At the event organised by the Karnataka Olympic Association (KOA) at ‘Yuvanika’ on Nrupathunga Road, 15 athletes and seven veterans were honoured with a cash prize of ?1 lakh, a certificate, and a memento. “We have reserved ?6 crore for gold medallists and ?4 crore for silver medallists. I appeal to someone from the state to bring home an Olympic gold medal,” he added. The KOA has been presenting these awards for the past 22 years to encourage sportspersons to excel at state, national, and international levels.

KOA president and political secretary to the Chief Minister, K. Govindaraj, requested the government to introduce 10 grace marks and a 25 per cent attendance concession for student-athletes pursuing academics. Siddaramaiah assured the audience that the matter would be taken seriously. Among the awardees were quarter-miler Sinchal Kaveramma, shuttler Sai Pratheek K., basketball player Keerthi Rangaswamy, footballer Ankith P., hockey player Mohammed Raheel, tennis player Suhita Murari, and swimmer Aneesh S. Gowda. Veterans honoured at the event included 1996 Olympian and hockey legend Anil Aldrin Alexander, basketball icon M.A. Parthasarathy, and former top cop B.N.S. Reddy.