BANGALORE: Ailing athlete M Gabriel will finally get help from many quarters.
After sections of the media highlighted the 84-year-old athlete's plight, many organisations came forward to provide assistance.
Karnataka Olympic Association President K Govindraj said he would immediately send a cheque for Rs 10,000.
"During the awards function last evening, we decided to help him. I am sending Rs 10,000 right away and more will be given soon," he said.
Helping hands
"I have also spoken to the Sports Secretary I Perumal. The Department of Youth Services and Sports (DYSS) will initially send a cheque of Rs 25,000," he added.
When contacted, the Secretary of the Karnataka Athletics Association Satyanarayana said, "We will be giving him some amount immediately. I have spoken to his family members and assured them all help."
Gabriel, winner of the 200 metres silver medal for India in the 1951 Asian Games at New Delhi and a bronze in the 1954 Manila Asian Games is fighting for his life at the Church of South India Hospital near Cantonment Railway Station due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD).
Gabriel, however, claimed that he was cheated of a silver at Manila as he had finished ahead of Genaro Cabrera of Philippines.
Love for sports
"Even in this condition, he talks about being deprived of the silver," said Gabriel's son Lewis.
"There were no TV replays or photo finish then and that is what went wrong. He was a fast runner but the government has not done anything for him yet. Nowadays, someone who wins a bronze medal in the CommonWealth Games gets everything. But they have not yet done anything for my father," rued Lewis.
Gabriel joined the Corps of Signals in 1947 and after his medalwinning performances in 1951, he was in the contingent for the Helsinki Olympic Games in 1952 but could not make the trip due to some illness.
He later joined the Indian Railways and retired in 1986.
"He is on a ventilator as both his lungs have collapsed. The doctors are doing their best and we are just praying," Lewis said.