A month has passed after 2016 Rio Olympic medalists PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik got felicitated by the Centre and state governments for bringing pride to the nation. However, bronze-medalist Sakshi Malik’s coach, Kuldeep Malik, who also coached the entire women’s freestyle wrestling contingent of India, is yet to get any recognition or cash awards.
After returning from the Rio Games, the Haryana government had presented Mr Malik with a photocopy of Rs 10 lakh cheque at a felicitation function in Bahadurgarh, Haryana. The cheque is yet to get real even after a month of approaching the Haryana government and Railway Sports Promotion Board.
“There may be fat cash awards and a super luxury BMW car for Sakshi, but I’ve not got anything, even the promises are still to be met. I’m yet to get a penny. I’ve repeatedly followed it up for the cheque, but the officials have kept on dilly-dallying,” Mr Malik told PTI.
Mr Malik, who is a chief ticket inspector for Northern Railway, was promised a promotion by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on August 29, the day when Sakshi was awarded the Khel Ratna.
A Dhyan Chand awardee in 2010, Kuldeep has been with Sakshi, who bagged the bronze medal at the Olympics, since 2011. He also guided her to win Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014 silver medal and bronze at the Asian Championship Doha 2015.