Udupi: BSY govt ignores Golden Girl Ashwini Akkunji
Pics from Various Media sources
DHNS
Siddapura (Udupi dist), 18 October 2010: Ashwini Akkunji ran a memorable third leg in the women’s 4x400 metres relay to land India its first-ever gold medal in the women’s athletic events in the just-concluded Commonwealth Games, but the toast of Indian athletics has been ignored by her home state, Karnataka.
No MLA, minister of senior officer of the government have called Ashwini or her parents, Yashoda and Chidananda Shetty of Jansale, a little known village in Kundapur, near here.
Ashwini’s run electrified the 50,000-strong crowd at the Nehru Stadium as she took over the baton from second leg Sini Jose 10 metres behind the English and Nigerian runners, making up the deficit with a herculean effort and handing the baton to anchor Mandeep Kaur a metre ahead of the Nigerian third leg runner, ensuring that India got gold.
With Ashwini’s deer-like sprint, all Mandeep had to do was to maintain the lead. Among those impressed was Lord Sebastian Coe, the celebrated middle distance runner of the 80’s and the head of the London 2012 Olympics.
But for those who matter in Karnataka, all that meant nothing. Chidananda Shetty told Deccan Herald that apart from former minister K Jayaprakash Hegde who congratulated Ashwini over telephone, no other elected representative bothered to call her up.
He said Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab and many other state governments have announced cash awards varying from Rs 10 to Rs 50 lakh for their athletes who won medals in various events, but the Karnataka Government failed to even greet her. A very hard working girl, Ashwini had not visited her native place for over a year because of training.
Comments on this Article | |
Joel, Moodubelle, bahrain | Mon, October-18-2010, 11:34 |
Indeed a magical moment for us Indian atlast we have won gold in Athletics. Congratulations to Ashwini, you have given us an opportunity to wish for future glory in Asian Games olympics too. Go ahead and do your workouts forget about these good for nothings polititions. It hurts when you are not recognized by your own state Govt. Its a shame for Chief Minister of Karnataka not to honour this sprinter and encourage to do well in future. So be it we all are proud of you as Indians and kannadigas. | |
Steven Fernandes, Moodubelle | Mon, October-18-2010, 7:38 |
Congratulations to Ashwini. Best of luck in the Asian games. | |
Rajesh Pinto, Mangalore/Dubai | Mon, October-18-2010, 2:44 |
Ashwini congratulations, As you know all the Politicians are very busy fighting and making money for themselves | |
Balakrishna Shetty, Mumbai | Mon, October-18-2010, 2:38 |
Congrats Aswini,you have made India and Karnataka as well as Bunt community proud. Shame on Karnataka Govt | |
Rajshekar, Bangalore | Mon, October-18-2010, 2:34 |
Congratulation!!. It is not worth to take any congratulatory message from worthless/useless politicians. |