Ranchi, Aug. 9: Eighteen sporting talents were felicitated by Governor M.O.H. Farook at a function organised by the state art, culture, sports and youth affairs department at Raj Bhavan today.

The prizes were announced for individual and team event winners (gold, silver and bronze) in different national and international events.

“As many as 290 applications were received following an advertisement published in January this year. However, a committee formed by the department under the chairmanship of the sports director zeroed in on 18 talents,” sports secretary Sukhdev Singh told The Telegraph.

Rs 13.92 lakh was distributed among the 18 recipients, with H.P. Chanho, gold medallist in the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship (senior section, women), grabbing the biggest share of Rs 10 lakh.

The 17 others received between Rs 938 and Rs 93,750. Incidentally Chanho and Y. Omika Devi, another winner, are both from Manipur but represent Jharkhand.

Besides Chanho, three players — Ashunta Lakra, Pushpa Pradhan and Subodh Kumar —represented India in international events, while the rest bagged awards for their wins in national-level meets, including school events.

Lakra and Pradhan were part of the silver medal winning Indian team in the senior Asia Cup Women’s Hockey Championship in 2009 while Subodh Kumar represented the country in the SAF Cup 2009 football event at Bangabandhu stadium at Dhaka.

The awards, which can be as much as Rs 75 lakh for an Olympic gold medal winner, were instituted in 2005.

Jharkhand Olympic Association (JOA) treasurer Madhukant Pathak expressed his dissatisfaction over the selection of players for the awards.

“Many more players who have qualified in national events should have been included in the list. But it seems the list was prepared in haste,” said Pathak, who sent an SOS to the sports directorate soon after the governor conferred the awards.

In his speech, the governor said it was a pleasure to be amongst distinguished sports personality of the state.

“The state has got a lot of talent in hockey, archery, football and athletics. Today’s winners are role models. The Raj Bhavan is keen to promote sports in the state and has earmarked a whopping Rs 60 crore for the purpose. Moreover we are eyeing central funds for a complete overhaul of sports in Jharkhand,” Farook said.

Among the proud recipients was Manoj Kumar Munda, gold medallist at the 25th national junior athletics championship held in Warangal. He received Rs 20,000 in cash, a certificate and a memento from the governor.

Munda hails from Naxalite stronghold Balumath in Latehar district and is currently pursuing his higher secondary studies at Ranchi College. “I am training at the Ranchi centre of Sports Authority of India where I get all facilities free of cost,” he said, sharing a cup of tea with Naresh Kujur of Tandwa, who won a bronze medal in the same event and received a cash reward of Rs 5,000.