Bengaluru: Last Sunday saw the Indian Blind Cricket Team retain the T20 World Cup Cricket for the Blind Trophy for the second time in a row at M Chinnaswamy Stadium against Pakistan amidst a roaring crowd. Congratulating the Indian team players, Karnataka Ministry of Youth Services and Sports felicitated the players and coach. They also awarded Rs 7 lakh each to Prakash Jayaramaiah and Sunil R, the players from Karnataka in the National Squad and also assured Government Jobs to them.
Congratulating the spectacular performance Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Services and Sports, Govt. of Karnataka, Pramod Madhwaraj said “We have always valued and promoted great contributions to the field of Sports, especially by differently abled sportsmen. India retaining the World Cup trophy has been a great moment, and even more proud that 2 players from Karnataka has made great contribution in the entire tournament and played a prominent role in retaining the Trophy.”
Felicitating Prakash Jayaramaiah and Sunil R, Pramod added, “The Chief Minister sends his congratulations and has sent me to felicitate the winning Indian Team. The Government of Karnataka is pleased and proud to announce cash reward of Rs 7,00,000 each to Prakash and Sunil, and promises government job to both. This entire tournament will be a great inspiration to all the differently abled sportsmen to overcome their physical disability and achieve in their respective fields. Through our New Sports Policy, it is our endeavour to promote and encourage all the differently abled sportsmen at the Paralympics. I have also spoken to the Directorate of Empowerment of Differently Abled to promote and recognize the Achievers in the field of Sports.”
Thanking the Sports Minister, Government of Karnataka, Chairman of World Blind Cricket Council, and the President of Cricket Association for the Blind in India, Mahantesh GK said “Sports Ministry has been always proactive to reward the great work done by our sportsmen. The Ministry has been of great support in assisting us whenever required and fulfilling our needs. We usually have to request multiple times for providing jobs to these sportsmen. But this time this reward comes within a day of winning the trophy. Prakash has played a great role in the last 4 years and helped India win. My heartfelt gratitude to the minister for providing the reward that they deserve.”
Speaking on the various challenges, they had to face while conducting this tournament, Mr. Mahantesh added, “This time, this mega international event was organized in 12 cities. Unfortunately we do not have a stadium of our own to conduct our tournaments. We have requested them to provide us with 15 acres of space for constructing a cricket stadium for the visually impaired so that we do not have to depend on various other spaces and organizations for playing our matches. With a 100% Disabled Friendly Cricket Stadium for the Visually Impaired, we will be of great help to constantly coach and prepare our visually impaired cricketers play the national level cricket for blind. It is our vision to make Bengaluru the capital of Sports for Disabled and with the leadership and support of Pramod and the government, it is definitely possible.”
The Ministry of Youth Services and Sports, Govt. of Karnataka had also felicitated the Karnataka Players Prakash and Lokesh when they won the Asia Cup earlier in 2016 with Rs 5 lakh each.
