Govt. announces Rs.90 lakh cash awards for Rio Paralympians

New Delhi [India], Sept.29 (ANI): The government has announced cash awards of Rs. 90 lakhs for Rio Paralympics 2016 medal winners. Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thawaarchand Gehlot said that the cash awards are being given under the Awareness Generation and Publicity (AGP) scheme. Gehlot said he will felicitate medal winners at a special felicitation programme. Gold medal winners Mariyappan Thangavelu and Devendra Jhajharia will be awarded Rs.30 lakh cash prize, Silver medallist Deepa Malik will be facilitated with Rs 20 lakh and Varun Singh Bhati will be honoured with Rs 10 lakh for winning a bronze medal at the Rio Paralympics 2016. "Indian para-athletes bagged impressive four medals at the Rio Paralympics 2016 and made history. The success of para athletes has made India proud. The department has decided to award cash prize of total Rs 90 lakh to medal winners," said Gehlot. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already hailed the best ever performance of Indian Paralympians in his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat'. It is worth mentioning that it was India's best ever performance in Parlympics history. Mariyappan Thangavelu made a leap of 1.89 metres to bag the gold medal while Bhati jumped his personal best of 1.86m to finish third and won Bronze. Devendra Jhajharia clinched Gold in Javelin throw while Deepa Malik bagged Silver in historic short put (first ever Indian women to win a medal at the Paralympics Games). India sent its biggest-ever contingent of 19 athletes to the Rio Paralympics 2016. More than 4400 athletes from 160 countries participated at the Rio Paralympics 2016 held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from Sep 7-18, 2016. (ANI)