Dola, Rathore chosen for Samsung Olympic Ratna

New Delhi, Nov 29 (UNI) Archery World Cup winner Dola Banerjee and top shooters Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Manavjit Singh Sandhu were among seven Indian sportspersons who were chosen for Samsung Scholarship Programme to prepare for the Beijing Olympics.

Shooters Abhinav Bindra, Anjali Bhagwat and Avneet Kaur Sidhu and national boxing champion AL Lakra were the others who were awarded Samsung Olympic Ratnas today.

The Scolarship Programme will support the training expenses of these players for a period of one year between October 2007 and September 2008.

Except for Rathore, all the other six sportspersons were present to receive their scholarships.

Samsung India also signed an MoU with Indian Olympic Association to become the Olympic Partner for the Indian delegation of Beijing Olympics.

HB Lee, President and CEO, Samsung South West Asia Head Quarters, and IOA President Suresh Kalmadi signed the MoU.

Lauding Samsung's continued support and commitment to the Olympic Movement in India, Kalmadi said, ''Samsung Scholarship for individual players and the Company's support to the Indian Olympic Association for the entire team would yield strong and positive results in the form of a rich haul f medals for the country.'' UNI