The Hindu : Samsung scholarship for five 'Olympic Ratnas'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 24, 2003

Sport

Sport - Sports : General

Samsung scholarship for five 'Olympic Ratnas'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 23. Samsung India has announced an Olympic fund of one crore rupees, to support India's bid to reap a rich reward in the forthcoming Olympic Games in Athens.

Announcing this in a press conference here on Tuesday, the Director of Samsung India, Mr. R. Zutshi, said that 50 per cent of the amount would be given as a scholarship to the five `Olympic Ratnas' — Anju George, Anjali Vedpathak Bhagwat, Abhinav Bindra, K.M. Beenamol and Karnam Malleswari.

It was also announced that if there were other deserving candidates, they would also be considered for support.

Commending the women power in Indian sports, the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, said that India would be out to win medals this time in the Olympics rather be content with competing at that level.

He goaded Malleswari, Anjali and Beenamol who were present on the occasion, to go for the gold in Athens. He was all praise for long jumper Anju George, who could not make it to the function.

Ace shooter Abhinav Bindra was also absent, busy studying and training in the U.S., but his father Dr. A.S. Bindra was on hand to discuss the details with the authorities.

Taking a strong dig at the unkept promises of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Mr. Kalmadi, said that if more industries came forward to support sport, the Indian scene would be a lot healthier.

"We will try our best with focus and hard work,'' said Malleswari, the lone medallist of the Indian contingent in the Sydney Olympics.

"We thank Samsung for supporting in our last stage of preparation. If the company can continue support till 2008, rather than keep it just for a year, we will do much better. We have the talent, are ready to work hard, but need all the support to do well. The government has its limitations, and it is for companies to fill the gap. Success is a team work. With such support we can make our tricolour flutter in every Olympics,'' said Anjali.

The Sydney Olympics semifinalist, and the Busan Asian Games gold medallist Beeamol said that such sponsorship would help her train abroad with the quality equipment and compete on par with the best in the world.

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