Games: Reception accorded to medal winners

Thiruvananthapuram: Sportspersons from Kerala who won medals at the recent Commonwealth and Asian Games were felicitated by the state government here on Thursday.

Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan inaugurated the function to felicitate the medal winners. The sportspersons were presented with cash awards and mementos by the state government. Sini Jose, who was part of gold-winning women`s 4x400m relay, in the Commonwealth Games received Rs 10 lakh, while MA Prajusha, Sanave Thomas, V Diju, Aparna Balan, Rupesh who won silver medals got Rs 7.5 lakh each and P K Priya and Shamir Mon, who won bronze medals, Rs 5 lakh each. Athletics coaches M A George and Nishad were given cash award of Rs one lakh each.Asian Games gold medallists Preeja Sreedharan, Joseph Abraham, Sini Jose, Shermi Ulahannan were given Rs 10 lakh each while silver medallists Preeja Sreedharan, Jenil Krishnan, Saji Chacko were handed Rs 7.5 lakh. G N Gopal and Deepika Pallikkal (Rs 5 lakh) also received cash awards while coaches P T Usha (athletics), M T Binoy, Rathish, Bhaskaran (kabaddi) received one lakh each. All sportspersons, who participated in the CWG and Asian Games, were honoured on the occasion. PTI