'Ekalavya awardees were selected on merit'

District-in-Charge Minister M P Appachu Ranjan said that Ekalavya awardees were selected based on their performances in the international, national and state-level events.

Speaking after announcing the awardee lists here in Madikeri on Monday, he said the award will be distributed at banquet hall in Vidhana Soudha on August 29 at 6 pm. Marks were earmarked for the participation in national, international and state -level events. As a result, those who got highest marks in each category were selected. “We were cautious while selecting the names,” he said.

“We had received a 93 applications for the Ekalavya award and 40 applications for the Lifetime achievement award.”

The Ekalavya award winner will get Rs two lakh each. The lifetime achievement award trainer will get Rs 1.5 lakh, he said.

He said “we have asked the sports persons to write a letter to the state that all the certificates which they had attested along with the applications were genuine. If there was any loopholes, then criminal action will be initiated against such sports persons.”

The details of all the Ekalavya award winners have been sent to the Superintendent of Police of various districts, from where the awardees hail from, to verify their background. All the award winners will be given a uniform to wear for the award function. The men will be given coat, shirt, pant and tie and women will be given zaree sari.