It rained cash on sportspersons from Telangana on Independence Day Friday as the state government honoured them, the medallists at the Commonwealth Games included, with huge incentives.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao presented bouquets, shawls and cheques to 15 sportspersons at the Independence Day celebrations held at the historic Golconda Fort.
Five Commonwealth Games medallists, India's top woman shuttler Saina Nehwal, boxer Nikhat Zareen, kabaddi player Mamata Poojari, mountaineers Malavath Poorna and S. Anand Kumar, their coach B. Shekhar Babu, and badminton coaches Pullela Gopichand and Mohammed Arif were honoured.
Ace shooter Gagan Narang was richer by Rs.90 lakh as he received three cheques. He was presented two cheques of Rs.25 lakh and Rs.15 lakh for winning silver and bronze medals at the CWG and Rs.50 lakh for the bronze medal in the London Olympics.
Shuttler Parupalli Kasyap, who clinched a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games, received a cash award of Rs.50 lakh. He was also given another cheque of Rs.25 lakh for his performance in the 2012 London Olympics.
Jwala Gutta, who won silver in women's badminton doubles, received Rs.25 lakh.
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Badminton players P.V. Sindhu and R.V. Gurusaidutt received Rs.15 lakh each for winning a bronze medal. Sindhu was given another cash award of Rs.25 lakh for winning bronze in the 2013 World Badminton Championship.
K. Srikanth (badminton) and B. Aruna Reddy (gymnastics) were presented cash awards of Rs.3 lakh each for participating in the CWG.
Badminton coaches Pullela Gopichand and Mohammed Arif received Rs.50 lakh and Rs.25 lakh, respectively.
Saina Nehwal, who recently expressed unhappiness over not receiving Rs.50 lakh cash award announced by the government of united Andhra Pradesh for winning the bronze at the London Olympics in 2012, finally got her due. She also got Rs.20 lakh for securing the gold medal in the 2014 Australian Open Badminton Tournament.
The chief minister also presented a cheque of Rs.50 lakh to world women's junior boxing champion Nikhat Zareen.
Kabaddi player Mamata Pujari received a cheque of Rs.25 lakh for leading India to gold medal win in the 2012 World Cup Kabaddi tournament.
Malavath Poorna and Anand Kumar, who climbed Mount Everest recently, received Rs.25 lakh each. Their trainer Shekhar Babu was also given Rs.25 lakh.