CM Patnaik announces Rs.10 lakh each for para-athletes participating at Asian Para Games

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced a significant cash incentive of Rs. 10 lakh each for the 7 para-athletes representing Odisha at the upcoming Asian Para Games, scheduled to commence from 22nd October 2023.

The Asian Para Games is a distinguished event that serves as a platform for elite para-athletes from all corners of the continent, allowing them to demonstrate their unwavering dedication and exceptional talent.

Among the notable participants from Odisha is the reigning Paralympic gold medalist, Pramod Bhagat, who is set to defend his gold in the para badminton mixed, singles category. Bhagat, who secured a bronze in the men’s doubles event in the previous edition held in Jakarta, is expected to deliver another outstanding performance.

The roster of Odisha’s para-athletes also includes Jayanti Behera for para-athletics, Soundarya Kumar Pradhan for visually impaired chess, as well as Rakhal Kumar Sethi, V Ramesh Rao, Prafulla Kumar Khandayatray, and Pujaswini Nayak for wheelchair fencing.

Extending his best wishes to the athletes, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed, “We are immensely proud of our para-athletes, who have exhibited relentless dedication in securing a place at the esteemed Asian Para Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China. Their extraordinary resilience is a testament to the human spirit. I extend my heartfelt wishes to them and the entire Indian contingent as they strive to bring honor to the nation.”