Saina, Gowda, wrestling team get financial assistance

The sports ministry on Friday sanctioned financial assistance to women's World No.1 shuttler Saina Nehwal, discus thrower Vikas Gowda and the Indian wrestling team from the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF).

The ministry will pay Rs.1 lakh per month as remuneration to Saina's personal coach U. Vimal Kumar and Rs.10,81,000 for the purchase of gym equipment for a 15-month period from June, 2015, to August, 2016, a release said.

The 2016 Olympics will be held in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 5-21.

Gowda will receive around Rs.1.12 crore for a combined period of 19 months. His funding is broken up in two periods - from December 2014 to August 2015 and then resumes from November 2015 till August 2016, allocated under the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme.

The ministry also extended financial help under the TOP scheme for sending training partners and officials with the Indian wrestling team to the US for training and participation in competitions during August-September this year.

Seven training partners have been selected by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for seven wrestlers. They will be accompanied by three officials.

The ministry will provide around $43,700 (Rs.28.8 lakh) as total cost of the tour, which includes training of the team members and their participation in the competition.

The amount includes a sum of $27,500 (Rs.18.1 lakh) for 10 team members (seven training partners and three officials) for 22 days as part of the tournament participating wrestlers training.