Dehradun (Uttarakhand): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday announced that Indian women's hockey team player Vandana Kataria will be brand ambassador of the state's Department of Women Empowerment and Child Development. The announcement came at a program organized to felicitate the recipients of awardees of the Tilu Rauteli Award and the Anganwadi Workers Award, held at IRDT Auditorium at Survey Chowk.
The CM also announced that the prize money for the above-mentioned awards will be increased from Rs 31,000 to Rs 51,000 from next year. This year, 22 women were honored with the Tilu Rauteli Award and 22 women were awarded Anganwadi Karyakarti Puraskar. The recipients of the Tilu Rauteli Award were given an honorarium of Rs 31,000 and a citation. Whereas, under the Anganwadi worker award, a cash prize of Rs 21,000 and a citation was given.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Sports Minister Arvind Pandey reached Roshanabad village of Haridwar district today to meet Vandana and her family. Pandey met Vandana and her family members and wished her a bright future.
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Speaking to reporters after meeting the hockey player and her family, Pandey said, "Vandana Kataria has brought laurels to the country as well as Uttarakhand. India has got a brilliant player in Vandana. She will inspire millions to play the sport." Responding to a question on the road to the village of the national player being in bad shape, the minister said, "The road will be repaired soon."
The hockey player's brother, Pankaj Katariya, told reporters: "We thank the state government for making her the brand ambassador of the state's Department of Women Empowerment and Child Development. Today every girl wants to be like her. We are proud of her. She is not only the daughter of the family but the daughter of the entire country." Earlier on Saturday, Dhami had announced a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh to Indian women's hockey team player Vandana Kataria for her brilliant performance at the Tokyo Olympics.
"The Chief Minister said that the state is proud of Uttarakhand's daughter and Indian women's hockey team player Vandana Kataria stellar performance at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in recognition of this, she would be given a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh," informed the Chief Minister's Office. The Indian women's team played their hearts out in the Bronze medal match against Great Britain on Friday but they couldn't achieve a podium finish after coming tantalizingly close.
(ANI)
