Dutee Chand To Receive Rs 1.5 Cr Prize From Odisha Govt

"It is a matter of pride that an athlete from Odisha has brought laurels to the country in this event after 20 years. In 1998 Asian Games, Odia Athlete Rachita Panda Mistri had won bronze medal," said a statement from the Chief Minister's Office, NDTV reported.

"In recognition of her grit, determination and hard work, the Chief Minister has announced a cash award of Rs 1.5 crore to Dutee Chand," the statement said

Sunday was a glorious day for runners at the Asiad when Dutee, who hails from Odisha, sealed the second spot in the women's 100 meter event, finishing the race in 11.32 seconds. Though she missed the gold medal by a whisker with a mere 0.02 second's gap, the Chief Minister was all praise for the national record holder.

READ MORE On Women At Asian Games

A day after becoming the first Indian woman in 20 years to win a 100m Asian Games medal, Dutee warned athletes about IAAF’s testosterone cap rule. She told The Indian Express, “It is important that female athletes in India in these five events know their rights with respect to the new (IAAF) policy. If they are approached for testing, they have the right to ask the authorities for the reasons for the test in writing and to ask that an independent ombudsman is appointed to determine whether the alleged reasons for the test are justified, before submitting to any test.”

Dutee Chand had been banned for a considerable amount of time from competing in events. She challenged the hyperandrogenism verdict in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and in a landmark legal verdict, on July 25, 2015, the ruling was overturned. Since then, she has gone from strength to strength.

“I remember I was completely shaken and clueless until the Sports Authority of India appointed Dr Payoshni Mitra, an independent advisor-cum-mediator, for me. Her help and network were crucial in my fight. I missed the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon because of the ban. But I did not give up. I fought on and off the track to win silver at the 2018 Asian Games. I wish no other athlete would ever have to suffer the humiliation I had to endure,” she recalled.

Congratulations Dutee!

Feature Image Credit: Indiawest.com

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