Ranchi, Feb. 27: Jharkhand’s performance at the just-concluded National Games has so far had at least three big names from industry coming forward to facilitate medal winners and also lend support in developing sports.
While the Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation today felicitated the National Games medal winners, Heavy Engineering Corporation Ltd (HEC) promised to promote sports even as Abhijeet Group announced it would absorb two gold medal winners from Jharkhand into the organisation.
At a felicitation organised by the Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation in the capital today, Rjya Sabha member and top Reliance official Parimal Nathwani gave away certificates and cash rewards of Rs 41,000 to gold medallists, Rs 31,000 to silver winners and Rs 21,000 to those who got bronze.
While Nathwani praised the achievements of the players and assured them of support even in future, Jharkhand Olympic Association (JOA) president R.K. Anand urged corporate houses in the state to shower jobs on medallists in order to help them.
“I have talked to several corporate houses, asking them to give jobs to our boys and girls who have won medals for the state in the National Games. If the players have jobs, their livelihood is secure and they can focus on their performance,” said Anand at the function, which was also attended by Assembly Speaker C.P. Singh and Ranchi mayor Rama Khalkho.
The proud players and their coaches were also all praises for the Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation. Well over 100 medal winners took part in the function.
“My next goal is to qualify for International Archery Federation’s World Cup. I would now be training rigorously for that,” said Bhagyawati Chanu, who clinched gold in the team event with Jhanu Hansdah and Namita Yadav at 34th National Games.
Shabina Perwej, a bronze medal winner in taekwondo, blamed lack of practice for her not-so-great show. “I could not practice much due to lack of time. Had I done that, I surely would have got at least silver,” said the Vigilance Bureau constable.
The players and officials also said had they got the chance to practice in the stadiums, Jharkhand’s medal tally would have been even better. The state bagged 96 medals — 33 gold, 27 silver and 36 bronze.
Meanwhile, HEC chief G.K. Pillai said the company would provide kits to budding hockey and football players. “While for the present HEC would indulge in sports promotion activities like providing kits to budding players, in future the corporation would offer jobs to those clinching gold at national and international sports meets,” he said.
Abhijeet Group, which is setting up a 1080 MW thermal power plant and a steel plant in the state, today declared that it would offer jobs to two of the state gold medal winners. “The decision to offer jobs to two gold medal winners is final. However, we are yet to decide which two to take or the stream from which the two would be taken,” the group’s chief executive officer Arun Gupta told The Telegraph.
An official said the group had already been engaging in sports promotion in the state in a big way.
