NEW DELHI, Feb 28: Amid model code in force in Manipur, five sportspersons from the North-eastern States and two others from the region including Olympic gymnast Dipa Karmakar were today felicitated by the Centre and given cash prizes.
Besides Karmakar, Indian women hockey captain P Sushila Chanu, Olympian L Bombayla Devi (archery), H Lal Ruatfeli (hockey, women), K Chinglensan Singh (hockey, men), K Kothajit Singh (hockey, men) and Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (weightlifting) were given cash prizes of Rs 2 lakh each for their outstanding performance.
Dipa hails from Tripura and Ruatfeli is from Mizoram.
They were honoured by Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju at a special function.
Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, strongly defended the move to honour the sportspersons from the North-east saying the event was planned six months ago and it has nothing to do with March 4 and 8 Assembly elections in Manipur. � PTI
