By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Ahead of the Asian Para Games scheduled to begin on 22nd October 2023, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday announced a cash incentive of Rs. 10 lakh each for the 7 para-athletes from Odisha who will be participating in the event.
Amongst the athletes competing from Odisha will be reigning Paralympic gold medallist, Pramod Bhagat. He will be defending his gold medal in the para-badminton mixed singles event. In the previous edition held in Jakarta, Bhagat also secured a bronze in men’s doubles.
Other para-athletes from Odisha include Jayanti Behera (para-athletics), Soundarya Kumar Pradhan (visually impaired chess), Rakhal Kumar Sethi, V Ramesh Rao, Prafulla Kumar Khandayatray, and Pujaswini Nayak (wheelchair fencing).
The Asian Para Games will bring together elite para-athletes from across the continent, offering a platform for them to showcase their dedication and talent.
Notably, he Asian Para Games are a multi-sport event for athletes with physical disabilities. The Asian Paralympic Committee regulates the event, which is held every four years after the Asian Games. The 2022 Asian Para Games, also known as the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games, will be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China from October 22 to 28, 2023.
The 2022 Asian Para Games will feature 22 sports. More than 3,000 athletes, including Paralympic champions and young stars, will participate. The competition venues are located in the Xihu District and Binjiang District of Hangzhou
Wishing the athletes success, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “We are immensely proud of our para-athletes who have worked tirelessly to qualify for the prestigious Asian Para Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China. The para-athletes are a testimony to the human spirit and determination. I wish them and the entire India contingent the very best in their endeavour to bring laurels to the country.”
