Commonwealth Games 2014: Sports ministry felicitates medal winners

SPorts Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Sachin Tendulkar felicitate Sushil Kumar

New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) The sports ministry felicitated the 64 medal winners of the 2010 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar specially congratulating para powerlifter Sakina Khatun and gymnast Dipa Karmakar.

Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Tendulkar gave away the plaques to most of the medal winners in a glittering ceremony at the Vigyan Bhavan.

Squash gold medal winning pair of Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal, champion wrestlers Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt, shooter Gagan Narang and shuttler Parupalli Kashyap were present at the occasion. Gold medallists Abhinav Bindra, Vikas Gowda and bronze medallist Manavjit Singh Sandhu, however, skipped the event.

The gold medal winners were given Rs.20 lakh, silver medallists Rs.10 lakh and bronze winners Rs.6 lakh.

Tendulkar, while felicitating the medal winners, said: "My sisters and brothers, you have made India proud. It was an honour for me to be here. I have watched some sporting events and I watched this (Commonwealth Games) with special interest. You have done well."

Tendulkar had words of praise for Sakina, who won a bronze medal in powerlifting, and Dipa, who became the first female gymnast to win an international medal.

Sushil promised that India would put up a better show in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

"We have done well in Glasgow and I promise that we will have a better show in Rio. The athletes are practising well and I am also grateful to the sports ministry for extending all help," he said.