Key Highlight

• The proposals from the four Olympian sailors cost more than Rs 2.75 crore
• The members approved the support extended to the development group of badminton players who competed in tournaments in Ireland, Scotland and Wales in November

The recently-reconstituted Mission Olympic Cell of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports today approved proposals from four sailors to let them train and compete overseas in the run-up to the Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou, China, next year. The proposals from the four Olympian sailors cost more than Rs 2.75 crore.

The 49er sailors Varun Thakkar and KC Ganapathy (Rs. 1.34 crore), Laser Radial specialist Nethra Kumanan (Rs 90.58 lakh) and Laser Standard ace Vishnu Saravanan (Rs 51.08 lakh) will use these funds towards travel, board and lodging, coach entry fee, coach boat charter and coach salary until the Asian Games.

The MOC also ratified several proposals which had been approved on an emergency basis. These included Olympic Games Javelin Throw gold medallist Neeraj Chopra’s proposal to have his off-season training in Chula Vista, United States of America, defending women’s badminton world champion PV Sindhu’s proposal for assistance to engage the services of her fitness trainer at the BWF World Championships in Spain.

The members approved the support extended to the development group of badminton players who competed in tournaments in Ireland, Scotland and Wales in November and this month. The cost of the exposure trip for Shikha Gautam, Ashwini Bhat, Priyanshu, Vishnuvardhan, Krishna Prasad, Ishaan, Saipratheek, P Gayatri, Treesa, Tanisha, Rutuparna and Samiya Farooqi was around Rs 45 lakh.

Besides, the MOC approved Abhinav Sathe as physiotherapist of the Indian men’s hockey team until the funding for his fee is given through ACTC, Rs 4.90 lakh for badminton player Aditi Bhatt for three tournaments in Estonia, Sweden and Ukraine and Rs 3 lakh for Lakshya Sen towards his coach and physiotherapist for Badminton World Championships in Spain; and Skeet shooter Gurjoat Singh request for ammunition and clay targets was approved at a cost of Rs 2.23 lakh.

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NB/OA