Chief minister Nitish Kumar presents a cheque of Rs 11 lakh to 2011 Asian Games kabaddi gold medallist Smita Kumari in Patna on Wednesday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, April 6: Cricket’s gain has been kabaddi’s gain too.

Immediately after Team India lifted the ICC World Cup on April 2, the central as well as the state governments announced generous awards for them.

Following suit, chief minister Nitish Kumar presented kabaddi player Smita Kumari a cheque of Rs 11 lakh today, four months after she won a gold medal at the Asian Games, 2010.

Sources said it was strange that the state government should choose to reward her now, instead of immediately after her return from China, where the sports meet took place.

Incidentally, the state government had felicitated her on December 2, last year. Art, culture and youth affairs minister Sukhda Pandey had presented her with a memento.

After receiving the reward today, Smita, probably the first player from Bihar to win such a medal, said: “I am very happy that the state government has finally decided to give me credit for the hard work. Kabaddi players usually do not get such rewards. Cricket players usually get the big cheques. Thank God I got this.

“I had not hoped for such an award. But two days ago, government officials called me and informed me that I would get a cheque from the chief minister. I don’t know what prompted this. But this will surely boost the morale of other athletes in the state,” added Smita.

To boost her morale, chief minister Nitish Kumar told her: “Keep up the good work! Make the state proud! My best wishes are with you.”

Smita, an Indian Railways employee since 2008, is a resident of Maranchi village. She had earlier represented the country in the SAF Games, 2006, in Sri Lanka. She has been the captain of the Bihar kabaddi team for 10 years and has won a number of laurels for the state and country.

On being asked about what she will do with the money, Smita said: “I want to open a kabbadi academy in my village. It is a privilege to get such an award from my state.

“It was a great moment for me when we defeated Thailand in the final. I will always remember that day. The women’s kabbadi team made history on its debut at the Asian Games. The contest was tough, especially against Iran and Bangladesh. But team effort led to the victory,” added the athlete.

She thanked coach Mukesh Kumar and the secretary of the Bihar Kabaddi Association and Indian team manager, Kumar Vijay, for boosting her morale and offering encouragement that helped her selection to the national team.

But Smita also had a few grievances. She asked why Bihar cannot produce more players, like other states of the country.

She said: “It is good that I am getting this reward for my achievement. But why can’t Bihar produce more girls like other states? We have to create such an ambience where more girls can take part in sports.”

She added that the state can produce girls like her, but for that to happen there needs to come up a fast improvement in the infrastructure that would encourage new players to come up and join.

“Our state can produce many like me but we lack the infrastructure. We have to overcome that hurdle. Kabaddi needs to be given special treatment. I hope it will bring laurels to the state in the future as well,” added Smita.