Manika Batra Still Awaits Cash Reward For CWG Win

More than three months after her historic feat at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Manika Batra is still waiting to receive the cash reward the Delhi government promised.

The ‘Golden Girl’ has also been recommended for the prestigious Arjuna Award by the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) as she is country’s only quadruple medallist at the Commonwealth Games. She claimed four medals at the Gold Coast.

The Delhi government's policy states that a CWG player will get Rs 14 lakh cash for a gold medal, Rs 10 lakh for silver and Rs 6 lakh for bronze. However, there was an uproar when it came to light the cash prize amount was a lot less than what the athletes from Haryana and Tamil Nadu get. Hence a revised proposal was sent to the Delhi government for approval.

A gold medal winner from Haryana receives Rs 1.5 crore while the prize amount is Rs 50 lakh in Tamil Nadu

Dharemender Singh, Deputy Director of Education (Sports) in the Delhi government, confirmed further procedure. "The file of the specific case you are referring has gone to the cabinet for approval," Singh told PTI.

At Gold Coast, after guiding the Indian women’s team to a historic gold, and claiming the women’s doubles silver in table tennis, Manika scripted history as the first Indian woman to bag the gold medal in table tennis singles final. Manika trounced each competition with grit and determination and became an overnight sensation back home. She secured a women’s doubles silver alongside Mouma Das and mixed doubles bronze with G Sathiyan.

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If sources are to be believed, under the revised reward, Manika will get Rs 1.7 crore for her four medals (Rs 50 lakh each for gold, Rs 40 for silver and Rs 30 lakh for bronze).

"I don't know why it has not happened so far, but I know it will happen," said Manika at the felicitation ceremony organised by the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) on Sunday. The star is now preparing for next month's Asian Games in Indonesia.

Also Read: Does India take its sportswomen seriously?

Read More Stories By Ria Das