The father of Paris Olympics bronze medalist shooter Swapnil Kushle has expressed displeasure over the Rs 2 crore award given to his son by the Maharashtra government, saying that his son deserves more honor than this. At the Paris Games, Kushale won a bronze medal in the 50 meter rifle-3 positions event.
His father Suresh said that my son should get a prize of Rs five crore and a flat near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Complex in Pune Balewadi. Suresh Kushale told journalists in Kolhapur that the Haryana government gives Rs 5 crore to each of its Olympic medal winners. According to the new policy of Maharashtra government, Olympic bronze medal winner gets Rs 2 crore.
Although Swapnil is only the second individual Olympic medalist from Maharashtra in 72 years, the reasons for the state setting such norms are unclear. Although Haryana is a smaller state than Maharashtra, the government there gives higher cash awards to its medal winners. It is noteworthy that the Haryana government gives its Olympic medal winners Rs 6 crore for gold medal, Rs 4 crore for silver medal and Rs 2.5 crore for bronze medal. He has also demanded that the shooting range of the sports complex in Pune be named after his son.