Monetary Value of Bronze medal in India
If you are an Indian competing in Olympics, 1 Bronze medal can make you rich. VERY RICH.
Sakshi Malik, 24 years old Freestyle Wrestler won a bronze medal at Rio 2016. BTW, that was the only medal India had managed to get when I wrote this piece.
Here is what she gets,
For the bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics
- ₹2.5 crore (US$370,000) from the Government of Haryana, in addition to a state land grant.
- ₹60 lakh (US$89,000) from the Indian Railways, as her employer (₹50 lakh (US$74,000) for the medal, ₹10 lakh (US$15,000) for qualifying)
- ₹25 lakh (US$37,000) from the Government of Madhya Pradesh.
- ₹20 lakh (US$30,000) from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
- ₹20 lakh (US$30,000) from the Indian Olympic Association.
- ₹15 lakh (US$22,000) from the JSW Group.
- ₹5 lakh (US$7,400) from the International Fitness Festival.
- Rani Laxmi Bai Award from the Government of Uttar Pradesh, with a prize of ₹3.11 lakh (US$4,600)
- ₹1.01 lakh (US$1,500) from Salman Khan, for qualifying as an Olympic participant.
- Promotion from senior clerk in the Indian Railways to a gazetted officer rank.
Source: Wiki
Now just imagine what a Gold can get you.
I am not against her getting hell lot of money. Why would I? *smiles* What I do not appreciate is the model of recognition. Indian Government should support athletes from the start by allocating more funds to Sports and Development. Rather, it chooses to throw money at athletes only if they win.
No wonder India fails at Olympics miserably.