Sakshi accorded grand welcome, presented Rs 2.5 crore cheque

New Delhi/Rohtak, Aug 24 (PTI) Haryana today honoured its’daughter’ Sakshi Malik by appointing her as brand ambassadorof the Prime Minister’s flagship ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’campaign and presenting the Olympic bronze medallist a chequeof Rs 2.5 crore. A rousing reception in the capital, after the freestylewrestler arrived from Rio de Janeiro in the wee hours, wasfollowed by another grand welcome by the Haryana government. Sakshi, who ended India’s medal drought at the RioOlympics, was greeted by her parents, relatives and ministersof the state government at the Indira Gandhi InternationalAirport’s terminal 3. The 23-year-old, who is the first woman wrestler fromIndia to win an Olympic medal, then travelled to Bahadurgarhin Jhajjar district, where she was felicitated by ChiefMinister Manohar Lal Khattar. The victory procession, with the bedecked vehicle blaringsongs about ‘Haryana ki beti Sakshi Malik’ (Haryana’s daughterSakshi Malik) made its way through villages and narrow roadslined up by scores of people. Despite being jet-lagged and sleep deprived, Sakshi wavedat the crowds who danced, garlanded and took selfies with her. "My 12-year long dream has been fulfilled. But I willwork hard to change the colour of my medal at next Olympics,"Sakshi said. At her village Mokhra Khas in Rohtak, Sakshi was honouredby the village panchayat, minister Ram Bilas Sharma, besidesCongress MP from Rohtak, Deepinder Singh Hooda and senioropposition leader from the INLD, Abhay Singh Chautala. Sakshi, who clinched a bronze in the 58-kg categoryfreestyle wrestling event, proudly displayed the medal to thecheering crowds enroute. Besides her parents, brother, sisterand other family members, women wrestlers from her academy inRohtak were also there to welcome her. Meanwhile, in a faux pas, Khattar forgot Olympic silvermedallist P V Sindhu’s full name and believed she was fromKarnataka. "It’s a proud moment for us that two of our daughters wonmedals on Raksha Bandhan festival. Sakshi Malik from Haryanaand Sindhu (asks others what is her name) … P V Sindhu fromKarnataka (Sindhu is from Hyderabad)," he said. Notably, the Khattar government had also announced a Rs50 lakh reward for Sindhu. Khattar said that sportspersonsfrom Haryana have again made the country and state proud. "Our government is taking a number of steps for thepromotion of sports. Sakshi has made everyone proud includingher country, her state, her coaches, her town Rohtak and herfamily," Khattar said in the presence of Sakshi’s familymembers. The CM said Sakshi, who is employed with the Railways,has been promised a promotion by its employer. "We have also offered her a Class II job in the HaryanaGovernment. She has said that she will think over it anddecide," Khattar said. PTI SUN AKA AHAH