CHENNAI: Of the 37 sportspeople from Tamil Nadu who represented India in 11 disciplines at the 20th Asian Games in Japan, 12 who, as of Friday, have won 18 medals — two gold, three silver and 13 bronze — will be given Rs 6.9 crore by the state as an incentive.
Some medallists returned to Chennai on Thursday night and were received by finance minister N Marie Wilson and senior officials at the Chennai International Airport. Sports development minister Aadhav Arjuna met and congratulated them at an event held at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai on Friday.
This included Vithya Ramraj (Athletics), Paranika Ilangovan (Athletics), Abinaya Rajarajan (Athletics), Vishal Thenarasu Kayalvizhi (Athletics), Kamalini (Cricket) and Hariharan (Badminton).
Athlete Vithya Ramraj won three medals — gold, silver and bronze — and became the first sportsperson from Tamil Nadu to achieve the feat at the Asian Games. She also clocked 54.75 seconds in the women’s 400m hurdles to break PT Usha’s 42-year-old national record.
Paranika Ilangovan won a bronze in women’s pole vault, becoming the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games medal in the event. Vithya will receive Rs 1.55 crore for her three medals, while Kamalini, who won gold in women’s cricket, will receive Rs 75 lakh.
Vishal, who won silver in the mixed 4x400m relay and bronze in the men’s 4x400m relay, will get Rs 80 lakh. Abhay Singh will receive Rs 80 lakh for his silver in squash men’s singles and bronze in men’s team event.
Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar will each receive Rs 60 lakh for their medals in squash. Players who won bronze medals will receive Rs 30 lakh each.
Meanwhile, Nethra Kumanan won a bronze medal in sailing (Sailing Dinghy) on Friday.