Date:18/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/18/stories/2008051856782000.htm

Sport - Weightlifting

Weightlifters honoured

VIJAYAWADA: CBR Academy of Sports chairman Chalasani Balaram on Saturday felicitated several international weightlifters for their contribution to the sport at the academy premises at Kethanakonda near Vijayawada.

Tamil Nadu’s M. Tamil Selvan, West Bengal’s L.K. Das, Manipur’s Kunjarani Devi, Uttar Pradesh’s Bharati Singh, Bela Rani, Punjab’s Geeta Rani, Andhra Pradesh’s Pujari Sailaja, N. Krishnaveni, Orissa’s Prasmitha Mangaraj and Balbir Singh Bhatia, former secretary of Indian Weightlifting Federation were presented a purse of Rs. 10,000 each and a citation.

Balaram also donated Rs 1.2 lakh to 22-year-old Laishram Monika Devi, who has qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 69kg category, for her exploits in the international arena. “As promised I will be donating Rs. 5 lakhs to her, towards preparation for the 2012 London Olympics,” he said. — Sports Reporter