Indian businessman announces cash prize for India’s Rio heroes

Dubai, Aug 21 (PTI) An Indian businessman here hasannounced a cash prize of Rs 5 million for India’s silver-medalist ace shuttler P V Sindhu and Rs 2.5 million forwrestler Sakshi Malik for winning the bronze medal at the RioOlympics 2016. Mukkattu Sebastian, who is based in UAE for four decades,announced Rs 5 million for Sindhu, who became the youngest andthe first-ever woman to win a silver medal at the RioOlympics, the Gulf News reported. Sebastian also announced Rs 2.5 million for Sakshi Malik,who is the first-ever woman to win a medal in wrestling at theOlympics, the first medal for India. "These two girls saved the face of India at Rio. I am soproud of them and wanted to honor them with a cash award,"Sebastian said. "I am not a very rich person. But I want to do whatever Ican," he said. Sebastian, who is from Kottayam district in Kerala, alsoowns Mukkadan Plantations there and Autobahn Car Rentals inBengaluru. He said he had kept Rs 10 million as the cash prizefor gold medallists and had hoped Sindhu would win gold. He plans to host a function in Kochi to honour theOlympic medalists who made India proud. PTI CORR KJ ASKKJ