Ministry approves additional financial aid for Olympic medalist wrestler Bajrang

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) The Sports Ministry's Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has granted additional financial assistance to the tune of Rs 1.76 lakh for Tokyo Games medallist wrestler Bajrang Punia to support his foreign exposure training.

Bajrang, a bronze medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, was earlier approved an amount of Rs 7.53 lakh for a 26-day training camp in Moscow ahead of a busy season. He is now being supported with an additional Rs 1.76 lakh for his ongoing camp that started on December 27.

Jitender and Anand Kumar have accompanied Bajrang as his sparring partner and physiotherapist respectively.

Bajrang is set to compete in international meets, including UWW Ranking events, the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as well as the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

"I have to compete in Ranking Series in Italy and Turkey this February and then the Asian Championships in Mongolia in April. I'm going to give my best as I aim to change the color of my medal in Paris 2024," Bajrang said in a statement issued by the Sports Authority of India.

Greco-Roman wrestler Sunil Kumar, meanwhile, has been approved a number of Rs 10.85 lakh towards a special training camp in Romania and Hungary with his sparring partner and coach.

Sunil, who is a part of the TOPS development group, will be using the foreign exposure trip to prepare for the upcoming United World Wrestling Ranking events.

Sunil had won gold medals in the Senior National Championships 2019 and 2020, Asian Championship 2020, and the Senior Nationals in 2021.

Besides, judoka Yash Ghangas has been included in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) in the development group.

(Image: PTI)