Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports Ajay Maken has distributed the cash awards of  Rupees  two crore  eleven  lakh eighty six thousand six hundred sixty five to 158 sportspersons at a function today. The award is in recognition of  laurels won in international sports events during the years 2010 and 2011. The fields that have been bestowed with recognition are archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, chess, judo, rowing ,swimming, tenpin, bowling ,weightlifting and winter sports.   Maken congratulated all the sports persons for their extraordinary achievements.

The cash awards are given by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under its ‘Scheme of Special Awards for winners of medals in international events and their coaches’ with the objective of incentivising the sportspersons who win medals in international events such as Olympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships (in the disciplines of Olympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games), Asian Championships, Commonwealth Championships (both for men and women) in senior, junior and sub-junior categories. During the last two financial years i.e. 2010-11 and 2011-12, cash awards worth Rs. 45.76 crore have been given to 1206 sportspersons and coaches from the Scheme of Special Awards for winners of medals in international events and their coaches.

A detail list of the awards can be seen here.