Cash rewards for Kavita Raut

MUMBAI - Two cash rewards were Saturday announced for Maharashtra lass Kavita Raut, who bagged an athletics bronze medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

An elated Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal announced a reward of Rs.five lakh for Kavita, while Tribal Welfare Minister Babbanrao Pachpute followed suit with a reward of Rs.2.5 lakh for her.

“She has done the state proud by her achievement and brought Maharashtra honour,” Bhujbal told reporters here.

Kavita, 25, a tribal girl hails from Harsul village in Nashik, which is the home district of Bhujbal.

She became the first Indian woman to win an individual medal at a track event - 10,000 metres run - in the Commonwealth Games.

After her historic feat, she is now aiming for the gold medal in next month’s Asian Games scheduled in Guangzhou, China.

“I will now aim for the gold in the Asian Games. I will also try to cut down on my timing,” Kavita told mediapersons at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the Indian capital, soon after finishing third in the gruelling women’s 10,000 metres Friday.

Kavita, the current national record holder for 10 km road running, said she had expected a medal after the rigorous training in the lead-up to the Games.

“I was 90 percent hopeful of a medal. So I am not surprised. We trained for six months at Ooty and also had a camp in Bangalore,” she said.

Employed with public sector giant Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Kavita thanked her family and personal coach Vijender Singh for her success.