Tokyo Paralympics: Gujarat Govt announces Rs 3 crore to silver medallist Bhavina Patel

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Ahmedabad, Aug 29: The Gujarat government on Sunday (August 29) announced a cash reward of Rs 3 crore for para-paddler Bhavinaben Patel for her historic silver medal win at the ongoing Tokyo Paralympic Games. Bhavina's podium couldn't have come at a better time as the nation woke up to the news of her silver medal finish on the occasion of National Sports Day.

India marks the sports day on August 29 on the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, the country's most decorated athlete of all time.

On Sunday, Patel - a resident of Sundhiya village in Gujarat's Mehsana district - went down 0-3 to world number one and two-time gold medallist Chinese paddler Ying Zhou to win the silver medal in her maiden Paralympic Games.

"Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has congratulated Bhavina Patel, daughter of Mehsana district of Gujarat, for making the country proud by her outstanding achievements in table tennis at the Paralympic Games," the Chief Minister's Office said in a note.

It said the CM has announced an award of Rs 3 crore as an incentive to Patel under the state government's 'Divyang Khel Pratibha Protsahan Puraskar Yojana' for making Gujarat and India proud at the global level with her sports skills.

Patel, who was diagnosed with polio when she was 12-month-old, had defeated world no 3 Miao Zhang of China 7-11 11-7 11-4 9-11 11-8 in the semi-final showdown on Saturday.

With this medal, Indian team opened its account at the Games. Deepa Malik, who is the current president of Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), was the first Indian woman to win a medal in the Paralympic Games when she had claimed a silver in shotput at Rio five years back.

"I'm extremely delighted to win a medal but also a bit disappointed as well. I got a bit nervous," Patel, who also became the first Indian to win a Paralympic medal in table tennis, was quoted as saying by International Paralympic Committee.

"I can only assure you that next time I meet her you will see a different me. She clearly got the better of me and had all the shots in her book to outsmart by effort. However, this medal will go a long way and I can assure you that," she said.