London Olympics boost: 22 athletes get Rs.6.85 crore to train

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The sports ministry on Tuesday said that it has allocated Rs.6.85 crores from National Sports Development Fund to 22 sportspersons under Operation Excellence 2012 for the London Olympics.

The biggest beneficiary is double trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi, who has been granted Rs.97.37 lakhs. Among other shooters, former world champion Manavjit Singh Sandhu has received Rs.91.95 lakhs while Mansher Singh has been allocated Rs.47.25 lakhs.

India's top ranked tennis player Somdev Devvarman has received Rs.39.60 lakhs while Sania Mirza, Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna, Yuki Bhambri, Sanam Singh and 1992 Atlanta Olympics bronze medallist Leander Paes have received Rs.36.96 lakhs each.

The assistance sanctioned is towards extensive training abroad, engagement of personal coaches both foreign and Indian, competitions and exposure abroad, scientific back-up in terms of sports psychologists, physiotherapists and masseurs.

List of sportspersons:
Ronjan Sodhi (shooting): Rs.97.37 lakhs

Manavjit Singh Sandhu (shooting): Rs.91.95 lakhs

Mansher Singh (shooting): Rs.47.25 lakhs

Krishna Poonia (discus): Rs.24.20 lakhs

Om Prakash Karhana (shot put): Rs.48.10 lakhs

Vikas Gowda (discus): Rs.24.51 lakhs

Somdev Devvarman (tennis): Rs.39.60 lakhs

Sania Mirza (tennis): Rs.36.96 lakhs

Mahesh Bhupathi (tennis): Rs.36.96 lakhs

Rohan Bopanna (tennis): Rs.36.96 lakhs

Yuki Bhambri (tennis): Rs.36.96 lakhs

Sanam Singh (tennis): Rs.36.96 lakhs

Leander Paes (tennis): Rs.36.96 lakhs

Ashish Kumar, Rakesh Patra, Alok Ranajan, Iqrar Hasan (gymnasts-men) Rs.56.83 lakhs

Dipa Karmarkar, B Aruna, Rucha Divekar, Roma Jogalekar, Meenakshi (gymnasts-women: Rs.33.08 lakhs