Other States - Orissa   

Demos held in support of power lifter

Ranu Mohanty

BERHAMPUR: Members of the Berhampur Citizens’ Forum demonstrated in front of the office of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern division in the city, demanding the State Government to take immediate steps to arrange funds for ace power lifter Ranu Mohanty. Ranu hails from the city.

Paucity of funds has proved to be a stumbling block in the path of this strong woman from the Orissa to participate in World Power-Lifting Championship to be held at St. John’s in Canada from November 2 to 7.

Members of the ‘Veer Hanuman Circus and Physical Institute’ of the city, which is the training ground for several lifters of national and international repute, including Ranu also took part in the demonstration.

They handed over a memorandum addressed to the Sports Secretary of the State through the RDC.

Dipti Mohanty, the mother of Ranu was critical of the Chief Minister for his silence over the matter although Ranu hailed from his home district and he held the sports portfolio.

“It may be noted that the Orissa Government had given Rs. five lakh cash prize to an Olympic gold medal winning shooter Avinav Bindra although Bindra was already a crorepati with awards by then but the same Government has failed to sponsor Rs. three lakh rupees to a poor lifter to attend international meet, although she has brought many laurel to both the Orissa and India at international-level in the past,” said the Joint Secretary of the State Weight lifting Association and lifting coach, Ramesh Padhi.

He added that due to lack of promotion for the sports in the State the emergence of national grade lifting talents has gone down in the Orissa during past five years.

He was also critical of the major corporate houses who use resources of the Orissa for not promoting core sports like athletics and weight lifting in the State.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

1.5 lakh persons to be operated for cataract
Demos held in support of power lifter
ECoR to run Diwali specials
Calling bibliophiles
CPI(M) demands immediate rollback of milk price hike
Rejection of nominations sparks trouble in colleges
31 prisoners shifted to Digapahandi jail
Three arrested, arms seized
Shortage of vaccines
Green activists to continue stir against mining in Niyamgiri Hill
Health workers take out rally
Oriya students attacked by Sena workers in Mumbai

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu