‘Haryana’s flag waving high at world level’: CM Khattar congratulates Neeraj Chopra after World Championships silver
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday congratulated Neeraj Chopra for winning the silver medal in javelin throw at 2022 World Athletics Championships and thereby becoming the first male athlete from India to finish on the podium at the Worlds. Olympics champion Chopra, who hails from Haryana, is only the second Indian to win a medal at the Worlds, after Anju Bobby Geroge, who won a long jump bronze in 2003.
Khattar is understood to have spoken to Chopra’s uncle Bhim Chopra and conveyed his wishes.
ऐतिहासिक!!
हिंदुस्तान के गोल्डन बॉय @Neeraj_chopra1 अमेरिका में खेली गई वर्ल्ड एथलेटिक्स चैम्पियनशिप में 19 साल बाद पदक जीतकर, इस चैंपियनशिप में मेडल जीतने वाले प्रथम भारतीय पुरुष बन गए हैं।
हरियाणा की माटी के लाल को 88.13 मीटर भाला फेंक सिल्वर मेडल जीतने पर हृदय से बधाई। pic.twitter.com/wyyDGexbk1
— Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) July 24, 2022
“Our aim is to make Haryana a sports hub. For this, promising players like Neeraj Chopra will work to inspire the younger generation… It is because of youngsters like Chopra that Haryana’s flag is waving high in sports at the world level,” Khattar said in a press release.
“Today we have taken a step forward in the world of sports. The policies of the state government and the performance of athletes from Haryana are being discussed all over the world. Haryana gives its sportspersons the highest number of awards and facilities in the country for winning medals in the Commonwealth, Asiad and Olympics,” he added.
He said that the Haryana Government has formulated Haryana Outstanding Sportspersons Rules, 2018, to ensure secure employment for sportspersons and 550 new posts were created in the sports department. Apart from this, 156 sportspersons were given government jobs till May 7, 2022, he added.
Provision for reservation has been made for sportspersons in direct recruitment to posts from class-1 one to class-4, he said. The honorarium for sportspersons who won Arjuna, Dronacharya and Dhyan Chand awards has been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 per month, he added. Rs 20,000 per month is being given to Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award winners and Rs 5,000 per month to Bhim Award winners, he said.
‘Govt working for promotion of sports, Haryana its powerhouse’
Khattar said the Haryana government is working continuously for the promotion of sports and all-round development of sportspersons. The sports and youth affairs department started 10 day-boarding and eight residential academies to train the players, and all the trainees of these academies will be given a diet at the rate of Rs 400 per day per player, he said.
“At present Haryana is the sports powerhouse of the country. The performance of our sportspersons in the Olympics and Paralympics in 2021 is a living example of how Haryana is emerging as a pioneer for other states in the field of sports. In addition, Haryana recently hosted the Khelo India Youth Games in which players from the state won the maximum number of medals. Players and coaches from all over the country experienced the sports culture of Haryana closely and learned how the soil of Haryana is spewing gold not only in agriculture but also in sports,” Khattar said.
Earlier in the day, Chopra recorded a distance of 88.13m in his fourth attempt in the men’s javelin throw final to win the silver medal. Defending champion Anderson Peters of Grenada won the gold with a massive throw of 90.54m. Olympic silver winner Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic took the bronze with 88.09m.
