Wrestler Sakshi to get Rs 2.5 crore from Haryana government

Chandigarh, Aug 18 (IANS) Wrestler Sakshi Malik will get a reward of Rs 2.5 crore from the Haryana government for her bronze medal winning feat which got India its first medal in th Rio Olympics.

Haryana Sports Minister Anil Vij, who is in Rio and witnessed the bronze medal match, congratulated Sakshi for winning the country its first medal.

Vij said that the Haryana government would honour Sakshi Malik with a cash award of Rs 2.5 crore as per its sports policy.

Sakshi is also likely to be offered a job by the state government.

"She has made the state and country proud. I hope that other sportspersons of the state would also prove their mettle in the coming events by winning medals," Vij said on Thursday.

Sakshi emerged as the first Indian woman wrestler to bag an Olympic medal by clinching bronze in the 58-kg category of Women’s Freestyle Wrestling.

The gritty wrestler is from Haryana’s Rohtak district.