BAI announce cash rewards close to Rs 1.5 Crore for CWG & World Championships Medallists

Bengaluru, September 6: The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Tuesday (September 6) announced cash rewards close to Rs 1.5 crore for the Commonwealth Games 2022 and BWF World Championships medallists.

The Indian badminton contingent had their best-ever haul at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, where they bagged three gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

Meanwhile, the Indian men's shuttlers fetched three medals - 1 silver and 2 bronze at the BWF World Championships. In 2021 the Indian shuttler won 1 silver and 1 bronze in men's singles, while men's doubles won a bronze in 2022.

BAI, which had awarded a kitty of Rs 1 crore to the Thomas Cup winning squad earlier this year, announced the bonanza for the 2022 Commonwealth Games medallists, 2021 and 2022 World Championships medallist.

"Our Badminton players have been consistently winning laurels for the country and this cash award is a small effort to acknowledge their amazing achievements over the last two years," said BAI president Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma while announcing the prize money.

The 10-member mixed team, which won the silver medal in Birmingham will get a total of Rs 30 lakh, or Rs 3 lakh each, for their effort while the eight members of the support staff with get Rs 1.5 lakh each.

Commonwealth Games men's and women's singles champions Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu will get Rs 20 lakh each, while the men's doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy will be rewarded with Rs 25 lakh for bagging the historic gold in Birmingham.

"The way the Indian players have been performing at the world stage has meant that the prize purse has been increasing consistently and we are confident that the reward money would motivate everyone to continue the good work," said BAI Secretary Sanjay Mishra.

Apart from the gold medallists, the young Women's doubles pair of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly will take home Rs 7.5 lakh for their maiden bronze medal winning effort in Birmingham.

Former men's singles world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth will also get Rs 5 lakh for his singles bronze in Birmingham along with Rs 10 lakh for his silver medal winning effort at the 2021 BWF World Championships in Huelva, Spain.

Sen would add Rs 5 lakh to his kitty for bagging the men's singles bronze in 2021, while Shetty and Satwik will get another Rs 7.5 lakh for becoming the first Indian men's doubles pair to clinch a world championships bronze in Tokyo last month. Apart from the players, the support staff will receive Rs 12 Lakhs (Rs 1.5 Lakh each).

"BAI plans to continue to encourage the players for their super series performances too," the badminton body added.

Here is a look at the players that will receive cash rewards: