Chennai, Sep 01: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today announced a cash award of Rs 25 lakh to Anju Bobby George, for her "outstanding feat" in bagging the Bronze Medal at the World Athletics Championships in Paris. The Chief Minister also announced a cash award of Rs 3.75 lakh to Anju's husband and coach, Robert Bobby George.

In a press release here, Jayalalithaa said that she was extremely happy to read about Anju's achievement, "the first ever feat by an Indian in a world championship, which had done India and Tamil Nadu proud”.

The Chief Minister recalled that the state government had earlier given a cash award of Rs 20 lakh to Anju when she won the Gold Medal at the Busan Asian Games in 2002 and another cash award of Rs 10 lakh when she won the Bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, the same year.
"This achievement at the world athletics championships has taken Indian athletics to a new high, and that too, by a woman athlete's outstanding effort," she said.

Jayalalithaa also wished Anju the very best in her career and expressed the hope that she would bring greater laurels from the Olympic Games in Athens next year.
Bureau Report