The deputy Chief Minister tweeted on Saturday that the prize is in recognition of her grit and perseverance.
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Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, Dr G Parameshwara awarded Rs 10 lakh to Hima Das for winning the gold in the World Athletic Championships held in Tampere, Finland.
“The Grit and Perseverance displayed by @HimaDas8 is inspirational for thousands of aspiring sports persons across India. As a token of our appreciation, it is my pleasure to award you with a cash prize money of ₹10 lakh on behalf of Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education,” he tweeted on Saturday.
The Grit and Perseverance displayed by @HimaDas8 is inspirational for thousands of aspiring sportspersons across India.
As a token of our appreciation, it is my pleasure to award you with a cash prize money of ₹10 lakh on behalf of Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education.
— Dr. G Parameshwara (@DrParameshwara) July 14, 2018
Dr G Parameshwara who holds the additional charge as the Government of Karnataka’s Minister for Youth Empowerment and Sports Department is also the President of Karnataka Athletics Association and Vice Chairman of Athletics Federation of India.
“A well-regarded athlete in his younger days, Dr G Parameshwara had a reputation for being a good runner himself. He participated in various inter-university athletic championships and open nationals. He holds an unbeaten record of 10.9 seconds in his University. He stood 4th in the world inter-university athletic championship in Belgrade and got selected to train for the Olympics. By then he received a national overseas scholarships and decided to pursue academics. Even today he holds the highest regard for Mr Krishna Hebbar, Ph D in physical education from Moscow who trained and encouraged him in his initial days as an athlete,” stated a Press Release from the Deputy Chief Minister’s office.
Hima Das became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal in a world athletic championship track event held on July 12 in Tampere, Finland. She finished first in the 400 metre finals in 51.46 seconds. She placed sixth in the 400 metre event in the Commonwealth Games held in Gold Coast, Australia in April 2018.