Sheila Dikshit gives away Rs.35 mn to Delhi sportspersons

NEW DELHI: Praising sportspersons of the city for earning laurels, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday gave away cheques to more than 2,000 players and urged them to win medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games that the city is hosting.

Dikshit gave away cheques worth Rs.35 million to 2,373 players from 37 disciplines, including cricket, tennis, and wrestling at a special function to felicitate them. Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma, both cricketers, got cheques worth Rs.200,000 each.
  
"It is a matter of pride for us that sportspersons from the city have earned plaudits at national and international levels. We expect outstanding performance from them at the coming Commonwealth Games-Delhi 2010," she said on the occasion.

She urged the sportspersons to maintain the sporting spirit. The city government's Directorate of Education and Sports organised the function to felicitate the sportspersons for their outstanding performances in 2006.

The city government provides financial assistance to the tune of Rs.125,000 annually to talented sportspersons for participation in international tournaments.

Dikshit also felicitated wrestlers Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt, table tennis player Neha Aggarwal and swimmer Sandeep Kumar, who have qualified for the Beijing Olympics to be held in August.