CHANDIGARH: Punjab Sports, Youth Services and NRI Affairs Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, on Wednesday, called on Tokyo Olympics-2021 qualifier and national record holder Kamalpreet Kaur at his official residence here and handed over Rs.10 lakh cheque to the first Indian discus thrower.
During a meeting with Kamalpreet Kaur and her coach Rakhi Tyagi, Rana Sodhi congratulated the discus thrower for easily achieving the 63.50-meter mark for qualifying Olympics and also discussed her future endeavours in detail. Portraying Kamalpreet as the 'honored daughter of Punjab', the Sports Minister said, it was a matter of pride for the state and the country as well that kamalpreet won the first place in the country by breaking the decade old record in discus throw and qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in women's discus throw category.
The Sports Minister said, as a sportsperson himself, Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh was always kind towards the sportspersons. Thus, he introduced a new pro-sports persons policy after coming into power in 2017, which paves the way for outstanding sportspersons for increased cash prizes and ensuring government jobs.
Rana Sodhi expressed hope, Kamalpreet would bring laurels for the state and country by clinching a gold in the Tokyo Olympics, saying that all kinds of Olympics preparation cost of Kamalpreet Kaur would be borne by the state government.
Pertinent to mention here that Kamalpreet Kaur during her first attempt on the last day of Federation Cup National Athletics at in the month of March at Patiala, has threw 65.06 meters discus and became the first Indian thrower to cross the 65-meter mark and ensured her berth in the Tokyo Olympic. Kamalpreet broke the national record set by Commonwealth Games champion Krishna Poonia in 2012 with a throw of 64.76 meters.