Tamil Nadu to award Rs 6.9 crore to 12 Asian Games medalists

The Tamil Nadu government is providing Rs 6.9 crore in incentives to 12 athletes from the state who won a total of 18 medals at the 20th Asian Games in Japan. The medal tally includes two gold, three silver, and 13 bronze medals.

During a felicitation ceremony at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna honored the winners. Notable achievements include Vithya Ramraj, who became the first athlete from Tamil Nadu to win three medals (gold, silver, and bronze) at a single Asian Games, while also breaking a 42-year-old national record in the women’s 400m hurdles. Additionally, Paranika Ilangovan became the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games medal in women’s pole vault.

Financial distributions include Rs 1.55 crore for Vithya Ramraj, Rs 75 lakh for cricket gold medallist G. Kamalini, and Rs 80 lakh each for Vishal Thennarasu Kayalvizhi and Abhay Singh. Other medalists, including squash players Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar, will receive varying amounts based on their achievements.