Badal gives
Rs. 1 crore to Abhinav Bindra
PUNJAB
GOVERNMENT TO SOON ANNOUNCE ITS SPORTS POLICY-CM
Abhinav
Bindra of India during his medal winning performance in the Men's
10m Air Rifle shooting Photo: AFP / GETTY
Chandigarh August 18, 2008
Punjab Government would soon announce its sports policy within
an inbuilt feature to provide excellent infrastructure and training
to the young players in order to compete at the International Sports
events like Olympics, Asian Games and Common Wealth Games.
An announcement to this effect was made by the Punjab Chief Minister
Mr. Parkash Singh Badal while presiding over a felicitation function
organized by the sports department to honour Mr. Abhinav Bindra
who won the first ever individual gold medal in 10 meter rifle shooting
range in Beijing Olympics 2008.
Mr. Badal also presented a draft
of Rs.1 crore to Mr. Bindra for this historic achievement
that made both Punjab and India proud. He urged Abhinav Bindra to
further utilize his talent in training the budding players of Punjab
in the rifle shooting so that they could also win gold medals like
him for our country.
Mr. Badal lamented that India was lagging behind in the Olympics
medal tally as several countries had even won 15-17 gold medals
whereas our country was only restricted to a single gold till today.
He assured that the Punjab government would make all out efforts
to promote sports in a big way so that Punjab could once again regain
its lost pristine glory in the arena of sports.
Meanwhile Sports and Youth Affairs Minister S. Gulzar Singh Ranike
proposed a vote of thanks on the occasion and assured that the state
government would lay special emphasis on the training aspect of
the budding players to enable them to compete globally and Punjab
would be developed as a nursery of young players.
Earlier in his welcome address Principal Secretary Sports and
Youth Affairs Mr. R.P.S. Pawar said that the state's sports department
had chalked out an ambitious programme to promote our traditional
sport Hockey as a major thrust in the proposed sports policy.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by his Media Advisor Mr Harcharn
Bains and Principal Secretary Mr. D.S. Guru.
Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included
Local Government Minister Mr. Manoranajan Kalia, Co-operation Minister
Capt. Kanwaljit Singh, Tansport Minister Master Mohan Lal, Rural
Development Minister S. Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Tourism Minister
Hira Singh Gabaria and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mohinder Kaur
Josh besides the Member Parliament and President Punjab Olympic
Association Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Member Parliament Smt.
Paramjit Singh. Eminent dignitaries in the field of sports like
Olympian Balbir Singh, flying sikh Milkha Singh and Director Sports
Pargat Singh besides the top brass of serving and retired civil
and police personnel.
Punjab's Abhinav Bindra won the gold medal
in the Men's 10m Air Rifle in Beijing on August 11, 2008
Punjab Government give an award of Rs.1 crore to Abhinav Bindra
Abhinav Bindra comes from an affluent Sikh family, belonging to
the Punjabi Khatri
BADAL CONGRATULATES BINDRA FOR HISTORIC VICTORY IN OLYMPICS
Sukhbir, Majithia Also Joins Chief Minister in Felicitating Bindra
CHANDIGARH AUGUST 11, 2008
Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today felicitated
the ace shooter Mr. Abhinav Bindra on winning Olympic Gold Medal
and bringing glory to the entire nation.
In a message, the Chief Minister said that Bindra's achievement
in 10-Meters Air Rifle shooting segment would give a major boost
to Indian sport. "We in Punjab, are proud of Abhinav Bindra's
remarkable feat", said Mr. Badal. The Chief Minister said that
the Punjab Government would honour him on his return from Beijing
and would also give an award of Rs.1 crore as per state government's
sports policy. Mr. Badal hoped that Mr. Bindra after winning this
title in Olympics would surely become a role model for the budding
players of our country to promote sports at international fora.
The Chief Minister also called up Dr.AS Bindra father of the Olympian
gold medalist Abhinav Bindra and other family members for his superb
achievement.
Gold medalist Abhinav Bindra of India shows his medal as he stands
with silver medalist Zhu Qinan of China and bronze medalist Henri
Hakkinen of Finland on the podium at the Beijing Olympic Games on
August 11, 2008. (Reuters Photo)
Abhinav Bindra won India's first ever individual Olympic gold medal
on Monday, saying it was a reward for "punching holes in a
paper target" all his life.
He followed his world championship title of two years ago by grabbing
the men's 10m Air Rifle shooting gold medal.
Athens Games champion Zhu Qinan of China won the silver and Henri
Hakkinen of Finland the bronze after one of the most thrilling shooting
finals in Olympic history.
Bindra, who trailed by two points after the qualification round,
trumped his rivals in the 10-shot final as he went into the last
shot level with Hakkinen on 689.7 points.
While Bindra secured his best score of 10.8 in the deciding shot,
Hakkinen managed only 9.7 to concede the silver to Zhu, whose last
shot was 10.5.
"It's the best feeling of my life," said an elated Bindra.
"I was just trying to concentrate on shooting, I was not thinking
about making history.
"For me life will go on. All my life I have just been punching
holes in a blank piece of paper target.
"But I sincerely hope this win will change the face of Olympic
sport in India. In our country, Olympic sports are not really a
priority, I hope now they will get more attention."
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Meanwhile, Member Parliament and SAD President Mr. Sukhbir Singh
Badal also lauded Abhinav Bindra's achievement and said that the
first ever Olympic Gold medal in an individual event would go a
long way in putting sports persons on a high pedestal
Punjab Information and Public Relations Minister Mr. Bikram Singh
Majithia also joined the Chief Minister and other dignitaries in
congratulating the youngster Punjabi shooter who had done both India
and Punjab proud
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