Sift Kaur Samra, 22, was one of Punjab’s most successful athletes at last year’s Hangzhou Asian Games, winning individual gold and team silver in the women’s 50m Rifle 3P. Samra received Rs 1.75 crore on Tuesday morning, as Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann distributed a cash award of Rs 29.25 crore to the state’s 32 medalists, as well as another Rs 4.58 crore to 136 national medallists.
Sift, the daughter of Pawandeep Singh Samra, an agriculturist and rice sheller from Faridkot, began shooting when she was 15. Due to her hectic shooting schedule, the youngster eventually dropped out of her MBBS course. Sift set a world record of 469.6 to win the women’s 50m Rifle 3P in Hangzhou. The Faridkot native also earned a Paris Olympics quota for India in the discipline. “It’s wonderful to be recognized by one’s home state for accomplishments. It’s a positive step for all of us and it will motivate youngsters in the state to pursue sports. It’s a positive step for all of us, and it’ll encourage young people in the state to pursue sports.
Whatever help we receive from the government motivates each of us. “My goal now is to make the Indian team for the Paris Olympics and win a medal,” the shooter told The Ultimate News.
Dhuri rower Jaswinder Singh was one of the Asian Games medalists who won multiple medals. Singh, whose father Jagdev Singh owns four acres of farming land in the village Kalera near Dhuri, won team silver in the men’s eight rowing event and bronze medal in the men’s coxless four event in Hangzhou, earning Rs 1.25 crore. “I began rowing four years ago when I joined the 19 Sikh Regiment at the Ramgarh Centre near Ranchi. Rowers from Punjab, such as Swarn Singh, have represented India in the Olympics, and we hope to do the same one day. I hope my medals can also inspire Punjabi youth,” said Singh, who is currently serving as a havildar in the Indian Army.
Mansa archer Parneet Kaur, 18, won the women’s team compound gold medal in Hangzhou. Her father, Avtar Singh, is a schoolteacher. Kaur, who currently trains at NIS Patiala under coach Surinder Singh, hopes that more girls will take up the sport in Punjab. “It is encouraging to see team medal winners in sports such as archery, hockey, and other sports receive the same recognition as individual winners. Archery has been on the rise in Punjab, and I hope that our gold medal will encourage more girls to start archery with the government’s assistance,” said Kaur.
Members of the Indian hockey team that won gold at the Asian Games, including captain Harmanpreet Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, and others, received awards. Harmilan Bains, a two-time Asian Games medalist, and Tajinderpal Sigh Toor, the Asian Games shot put champion, were also honored. Indian women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur, team members Amanjot Kaur and Kanika Ahuja, as well as Arshdeep Singh, a member of the Asian Games gold medal-winning Indian men’s cricket team, received cash awards. Arshdeep and Amanjot Kaur’s parents accepted the award in their absence. “Getting assistance prior to events like the Asian Games is the biggest positive for each one of us and is a commendable step,” said Indian women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
“Punjab players won 20 medals at the Asian Games, and their achievements will serve as an inspiration to the state’s youth. Each of them serves as an inspiration to young people to pursue sports and promote a drug-free culture in the state. According to Bhagwant Mann, 58 players received Rs 8 lakh in assistance ahead of the Asian Games, and Rs 15 lakh will be given to players qualifying for the Paris Olympics.