Constable Manish Rawat who secured 13th position in Rio Olympic-2016 in the category of 20 km race walk has been promoted as inspector at a programme held in Dehradun on Wednesday.
While awarding three- star (rank) of inspector to Manish Rawat, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said that Olympian Manish has made the country and the state proud by securing the 13th position in Rio Olympic.
“Manish is inspirational to many players and we are expecting medal in the next Olympic from Manish,” Rawat said.
He further said that police being a disciplined force, the state expected a lot from them in the realm of sports.
A cheque of Rs five lakh was given to Manish Rawat by the sports minister Dinesh Aggarwal on the behalf of the state sports department on the occasion.
Aggarwal said that the state government has taken several measures to improve sports infrastructures in the state. Stadiums are being built at Haldwani, Haridwar, Dehradun and some other places. A sports college has come up in Pithoragarh too, he added.
Chief Minister Rawat said that in spite of the limited resources, the state government is trying its best to create an ideal environment for spots activities.
“We are all set to stage National Games in the coming years. Keeping this in view, we are developing sports infrastructures and providing facilities to the sportsmen,” he said.
He appealed to the people of the state to contribute their bit to develop a good atmosphere for the flourish of sports in the state.
“The state government would try its best to help them with financial assistance. Sports spirits should be high in the state so that we can prepare some more Olympians like Manish Rawat from the state in the coming years,” CM said.
He directed DGP MA Ganapathy to send a proposal for recruiting youths in the police department through sports quota. Notably, Manish was recruited in police department through sports quota.
Rawat directed DGP and ADGP (intelligence and vigilance) Ashok Kumar to search land for a play ground for the policemen in Pauri and other districts so that the policemen could get enough space for practice.
“Some districts are known to produce good players in different streams of sports. While some are good in football others are in volley ball, badminton and the like. The state government is taking all possible steps to promote sports in the state,” he said.
Speaking volume of sports, the CM said the people of the country get united to celebrate together the player winning a medal at an international sport event. “Can anything be more inspiring for a youth to excel in sportsIJ” he asked. He appealed to the school teachers and also the principals to motivate their students for sports.
On the occasion, several eminent people like environmentalist Sundar lal Bahuguna and his wife Vimla Bahuguna, shooter Jaspal Rana’s father NS Rana, Olympian Manish Rawat’s mother Urmila Rawat and Manish’s coach Anup Bisht aside from senior administrative and police officers were present.