Padukone advices Sportsperson not to get deviated

Bangalore, Oct 1 (UNI) Former All England Champion and Badminton legend Prakash Padukone today advised young sports achievers not to get disheartened over non recognition of their struggle to bring laurels to the country and concentrate on their game.

Referring to outburst by fourtime World Billiards and Snooker Champion Pankaj Advani against the Karnataka Government for not recognising his achievements adequately, Padukone, in a chat with newsmen, said "sportspersons, especially youngsters, should not get disheartened over non-recognition''. ''They should concentrate on their sports and aim on achieving more and more and recognition would certainly come in search of them one day or the other." "During our days we have struggled a lot and if we had waited for recognition, we would not have achieved our goal. Now may be due to frustration Pankaj might have come out against the government but it should be stopped once for all", he added.

Replying to a question, he said that let them form an association of sportspersons and let elders take up the case with appropriate authority on their behalf and fight to get recognition for achievement of each and every sportsperson in their discipline." In an interaction yesterday, Khel Ratna awardee Pankaj, who declined to accept Karnataka Government's Ekalavya Award, came out strongly against the State government for not recognising his achievements. "Had I been given the award years ago, it would have been different. The government should come up with a policy wherein fixed sum should be allocated for achievements in the State, national and international level", he added.

Pankaj was supported by International Swimmers Nisha Millet, Shikha Tandon and Veteran Hockey player Ashish Ballal.

UNI