Odisha Govt announces cash awards for SAG medal winners

In its bid to encourage sports personalities, the Odisha government today announced cash prize for medal winning athletes and also those who became unsuccessful despite putting best efforts in the ongoing 12th South Asian Games (SAG).
Athletes winning gold, silver and bronze medals in individual events would receive a cash award Rs 50,000, Rs 40,000 and Rs 30,000 respectively, said state sports and youth affairs minister Sudam Marndi.
Apart from this, each athlete who participated in the event would also be given a cash award of Rs 15,000, a notification issued by the sports department said.
While woman sprinter Srabani Nanda has won a gold medal in the 200 m sprint event, weightlifter Saraswati Rout has won a gold medal in the 58 kg category and sprinter Jauna Murmu has won two gold medals in the 400 m hurdles and 4X400 m relay race.

In the 200 m sprint event, sprinter Dutee Chand has won a silver medal, while in the 100 m sprint event, Srabani and Dutee won a silver and a bronze medal respectively. The duo has won a silver medal in the 4X100 m relay race.
While Srabani would get a cash prize of Rs 1.10 lakh, Jauna would get Rs 75,000 and Dutee's share in the cash prize would be Rs 90,000.

In the team event, woman Kho-Kho athlete Mandakini Majhi has won a gold medal.
Though they did not win any medals in the SAG, minister Marndi said those participated in the single events would get Rs 15,000 and Rs 7,500 for participating in team events.

India has dominated the medals tally so far followed by Sri Lanka.