Lovely Professional University (LPU) has announced a reward of ₹25 lakh for its student and wrestler Vinesh Phogat who scripted history by becoming the first Indian to reach the Olympic final in women’s wrestling.
The announcement comes at a time when Phogat was disqualified on Wednesday from the Olympics after being found overweight ahead of her women’s 50kg final in Paris, leaving her medal-less within hours of coming close to an unparalleled gold. She was found 100gm overweight.
“This decision comes as a testament to the university’s unwavering commitment to its student-athletes, even in the face of disappointment. For us, Vinesh is still a medal winner. Her dedication and skill throughout her journey deserve recognition, and we are proud to award her the promised prize money of ₹25 lakh, which was reserved for silver medallists,” said Ashok Kumar Mittal, Rajya Sabha MP and founder Chancellor of LPU.
LPU has announced a comprehensive cash reward programme for students who win medals at the Paris Olympics. Gold medallists will receive ₹50 lakh, silver medallists will receive ₹25 lakh and bronze medallists will receive ₹10 lakh. As many as 24 students from the university are representing India in various sports disciplines, including javelin, wrestling, hockey, athletics, weightlifting, shooting, and boxing.