Jayalalithaa announces sports scholarship, reward for students

Chennai, Jan 10: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today ordered a State sponsored scholarship to a fencing champion and announced a reward of Rs four lakh to a city school student who bagged gold medal in a national sports event.

She ordered enrollment of C A Bhavani Devi in the Special Scholarship Scheme for Elite Sports Persons to encourage her to win more international sports events.

Bhavani Devi had bagged a bronze at the 18th Flemish Open fencing Championship at Ghent in Belgium last year. The Chief Minister announced a Rs four lakh reward to R Rithik, a student of Kendriya Vidyalaya here who struck gold in the national 10-meter Open Site Air Rifle Under-17 event held by the School Games Federation of India in Madhya Pradesh last month.

"I congratulate and wish him many more accomplishments bringing laurels to Tamil Nadu and the nation," the Chief Minister said in an official release.

Under the Scholarship scheme, beneficiaries are entitled to need-based financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh per annum for five years so that they can train well and participate in international sports events including Olympics, win awards and bring laurels to the state and nation.

Jayalalithaa had given Bhavani Devi Rs three lakh as financial aid for training in the US last October. She was also given Rs two lakh reward after she won a bronze in Belgium.

PTI