Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps to include shuttlers Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa in the 'Target Olympic Podium' (TOP) scheme of the Union government.
"Jwala Gutta, the badminton player who is currently ranked 13th in the world, has brought laurels to the country on many occasions by winning tournaments at the international level.
"She is the first-ever Indian woman to have won a medal at the world championships and the only Indian in the Indian history of Olympics to qualify for two events," Rao said in a letter to the Prime Minister.
Gutta also bagged a gold medal in 2010 Commonwealth Games and a silver medal in the 2014 edition of the event. She recently won the Canada Open, Rao pointed out.
Noting that Gutta and her doubles partner Ponnappa have not been included in the TOP scheme, Rao requested the Prime Minister to make the two players part of the programme at the earliest.
The scheme envisages identification of athletes who are potential medal winners in Olympics and providing support to them for preparation for the international sporting event.
As of March, 45 athletes have been identified from six disciplines as potential medal winners for 2016 Rio Olympics. Around 30 more athletes are to be identified.
Gutta, who won the Canada Open in partnership with Ponnappa this week, had told PTI here that the Government should support her at least after the latest victory.
"A lot of players are performing right now only because of Government funding. If Government doesn't fund, a lot of players will be lost. We are really depending on the Government. This TOP scheme is that extra boost which the players need to focus on the game for the Olympics. We are really relying on government support," she said.
Gutta called on Rao here today.
The Chief Minister said his Government would facilitate setting up of a badminton academy by her in Hyderabad and also bear the cost of her training, according to an official release.
