LUCKNOW: Six medal-winning sportspersons, including cricketer Rinku Singh, were appointed as gazetted officers in the Uttar Pradesh government here on Tuesday.
Sportspersons who have excelled those have excelled at the Olympics, Paralympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and various world championships were given appointment letters by UP CM Yogi Adityanath at an event. The CM also felicitated national and international players selected for the Lakshman and Rani Lakshmibai awards.
Rinku Singh had a tough time handling his personal grief as his father passed away in the midst of the recently held T20 world cup tournament. But he didn't let it affect him and went on to join the team for the remaining matches after leaving the camp to attend to his ill father.
In recognition of Rinku’s dedication and valuable contribution to the Indian cricket team, the Uttar Pradesh government has appointed him Regional Sports Officer (RSO).
Notably, the ace batter is part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Known for his batting prowess as a match-finisher, Rinku is currently focused on the Indian Premier League, which is set to start from March 28, which explained his absence at the event.
Among other key appointments, para-athlete Praveen Kumar and hockey Olympian Raj Kumar Pal were appointed deputy superintendent of police in UP Police department for their medal winning feats at Paris Olympics-2024.
Moreover, the list of beneficiaries also included para-athletes Ajit Singh and Simran who were appointed District Panchayat Raj Officers, while Preeti Pal got the appointment letter for the post of the Block Development Officer.
At Lok Bhawan, CM Yogi Adityanath presented the appointment certificates for officer-level posts to five sportspersons. All the appointments are made under the "Uttar Pradesh International Medal Winners Direct Recruitment Rules-2022," a framework designed to honour sportspersons who have won medals at major international platforms such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games.