Members of the Assam handball and kho-kho girls’ teams pose after their felicitation at SAI New Field in Guwahati on Friday. The teams won medals at the National School Games last week in Calicut, Kerala. Picture by Biju Boro

Guwahati, May 21: It could not have got any better than this for Assam boxers Pranamika Bora and Kalpana Choudhury, and the state school handball and kho-kho teams. First, they won the medals thousands of miles away from home, in Turkey and Calicut. Next came the applause from Dispur, often criticised for its unfriendly attitude towards sportspeople.

Dispur removed some stains out of its thick shirt, acknowledging the feats of the two boxers at the international boxing meet in Turkey and the young squads that reaped a neat harvest in the National School Games (under-17) at Calicut in Kerala.

Sports minister Robin Bordoloi presented Rs 20,000 each to pugilists Pranamika and Kalpana on behalf of the state government at a felicitation function today. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi had announced the cash rewards before two trainees at the Sports Authority on India (SAI) centre here left for Turkey.

Pranamika, more comfortable in the ring than at a public function, promised to bring more international medals to the state. “Compared to my efforts, I am not happy with the bronze in Turkey. The result could have been different if the referee and judges were not biased towards the Turkish boxers,” she said.

She said one of her bouts against a Turkish boxer was stopped in the second round and deprived her the chance to play the final. “I was confident of knocking her down in the third round.”

The young boxer is aiming for the gold in the Pyongyang Cup internationals in Korea from August 17 to 23 and the Witch Cup in Hungary from August 27 to 31. “I will put my best to win the gold in Korea and Hungary.”

Speaking on the occasion, Bordoloi announced an additional reward of Rs 10,000 for Oinam Geeta Devi, who accompanied the Indian team as coach. “Being selected as coach of the Indian contingent is no mean achievement. So the government is pleased to honour her with a cash reward,” he added.

The state-level associations have also paid cash incentives to the school teams for their performance in Calicut. The Handball Association of Assam awarded the girls’ team with Rs 7,000 in cash for winning the silver and Rs 3,000 to the boys for their bronze.

The Assam Kho-kho Association gave the girls’ team Rs 3,000 for their bronze-winning feat. The association’s president and deputy director of sports R.P. Baruah had announced the cash incentive before the teams left for Calicut early this month.

The directorate of sports has presented the players with mementoes and hosted a dinner in their honour.

President of the handball association Kalyan Gogoi, who is also member-secretary of the state-level advisory committee for students and youth welfare, praised the directorate of sports for patronising coaching in the state for the 2005 National Games.

The directorate’s efforts have paid dividends, he added.

SAI director in-charge Subhash Basumatary and sports commissioner Pradip Hazarika were present on the occasion.