NEW DELHI: Youth Olympics silver medal-winning wrestler Simran is still waiting for the prize money that she claims was promised by Satyendra Jain, the Delhi Health Minister, in 2018.
In July this year, when Simran shared her concern on social media, she immediately got a call from the government officials that she would get money in August. However, to date nothing has been done, says Simran's father Rajesh.
Speaking to IANS, Rajesh said that he met the officers at Chhatrasal Stadium a few days back and was told that by August 31 "we will get our promised reward". "Now they are saying that we would get the money but they can't confirm by when (because of lockdown). They are saying that the government would surely give the money, However, they can't commit when," said an emotional Rajesh.
Earlier, Simran, in a video, had said that "Satyender Jain (a minister in Delhi cabinet) had assured me that I would get a cash award from the government. But it has been two years and I have not got any help. I tried to make Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia aware of this but I am yet to get a reply to my emails," she had said.
"Because of my poor financial situation, I am not able to practice regularly. I appeal to the Delhi government to release my cash prize according to the sports quota so that I can restart my practice."
Simran was one of nine Indian silver-medallists at the Youth Olympics held in Buenos Aires 2018 in which the contingent had also won two gold and one bronze medals.
The government officials were unreachable for comment.