Rs 2.5 crore for Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik from Haryana government

On 18 August, the Haryana government announced an award of Rs. 2.5 crores and a government job for Rio 2016 bronze medallist, freestyle wrestler Sakshi Malik.

Haryana's Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu Singh said the state government will felicitate the 23-year-old wrestler after she returns home.

"We could not be prouder on the day of Raksha bandhan festival that our daughter Sakshi Malik has brought laurels to the state of Haryana and also to the nation by winning the bronze in the women's wrestling championship in the 58 kg category in the Rio Olympics. The Haryana Government will felicitate Sakshi Malik by giving her the well deserved award of Rs 2.5 crore and a government job as per our sports policy of 2015," he added.

The state government has promised a bumper bonus for medallists in the prestigious quadrennial event- Rs 6 crore for gold, Rs 4 crore for silver and Rs 2 crore for bronze.

The 23-year-old Rohtak-based Malik clinched the bronze medal in the women's freestyle 58 kilogram wrestling category with a spirited comeback victory over Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan.

Although Malik was trailing 0-5 against her Kyrgyzstan opponent, she bounced back in style to hand India its fourth bronze medal in wrestling in the Olympic history.

With this win, Malik becomes the fourth Indian wrestler to win a medal in Olympics after Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt.

--ANI