Asiad gold medallists Bajrang, Vinesh to be promoted: Rlys

Gold medallists Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat will be promoted to the rank of gazetted officers after their big win at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, ministry officials said today.

A senior official said they would be promoted as per the recently announced policy of the railways.

On August 3, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had approved a new policy for promotion of railway sportspersons. Under the policy, in addition to sportspersons who won a medal in the Olympics, Padma Shri awardee players and coaches will be promoted as officers.

"In order to give due recognition to the effort put in by sportspersons, who have made two appearances in the Olympics, won a medal in the Asian Games/the Common Wealth Games, it has now been decided to award them with a promotion to the officer rank," the ministry had said in a statement.

Phogat became the first Indian woman wrestler to win a gold medal at the Asian games, brushing aside her rivals with remarkable ease in the 50kg category here.

Punia clinched the gold medal after defeating Daichi Takatani of Japan in the final of the men's freestyle 65 kg category.

Under the policy, railway sportspersons who are winners of any of the awards like the Arjuna/the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award would also be entitled to the said promotion.