Tamil Nadu CM announces 50 lakh reward to Sivalingam

Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Saturday lauded weightlifter Sathish Sivalingam for winning gold in the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Australia and announced a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh in appreciation of his feat.

Sathish, a native of Vellore district of the state, has made both the country and Tamil Nadu proud by winning a gold medal at the CWG games at Gold Coast in Australia, Palaniswami said in a letter to the weightlifter.

Sathish, a Southern Railway employee posted here, has won his second gold medal in a CWG event, lifting a total of 317 kg (114kg+173kg). "What is even more remarkable is that you have won a second gold medal in the successive Commonwealth Games," the chief minister said and greeted Sathish for his "splendid achievement.

"He recalled that late chief minister J Jayalalithaa had in 2011 announced that sportspersons winning a CWG gold medal would be eligible for a Rs 50 lakh reward. "You will now be eligible to receive this high cash incentive," he said.

The state government has set up a Centre of Excellence for weightlifting at Sathuvachari in Vellore to promote world class weightlifters, he pointed out and wished Sivalingam to bring more such laurels for the country and the state.