BAI disburses pending prize money to shuttlers

Within weeks of assuming charge as the Badminton Association of India (BAI) President Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday disbursed Rs 1.6 crore prize money to the top Indian shuttlers, including Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu.

Sarma revealed that it was the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Parupalli Kashyap, who had informed him of their pending prize money.

"It was Kashyap who called me to inform that they didn't get the money for their performance at Commonwealth Games. So today we are disbursing the money." said Sarma, who was appointed the interim head last month following the sudden demise of former president Akhilesh Das Gupta.

"This is a small thing which we can do compared to what you guys do for the country. From now on, I can assure you that we will disburse the money regularly," he said to the shuttlers.

London Olympics bronze medallist Saina was awarded a cheque of Rs 25 lakh for her title winning performance at the Australia Superseries in 2016, besides becoming the first Indian to become the World No.1 and reaching the final at the All England Championships in 2015.

Rio Olympics silver medallist Sindhu was awarded Rs 20 lakh for winning the 2016 Malaysia Masters, 2015 Macau Open and clinching a bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Kashyap received a cheque of Rs 30 lakhs for winning the Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow besides bagging the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold in 2015.

R.M.V. Gurusaidutt also received his cheque of Rs 5 lakhs for winning the bronze at Glasgow, while doubles players Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa, who had clinched the silver in women's doubles category, got Rs 10 lakhs respectively.

--IANS

tri/pur/bg