The Maharashtra government on Saturday announced a compensation of Rs. five lakh to the family of netball player Mayuresh Pawar, who drowned to death at a beach in Kerala on Feb 3 during the ongoing 35th National Games.
Maharashtra School Education Minister Vinod Tawde, who also is the Sports Minister, announced the compensation after offering condolences to the grieving family of 18-year-old Pawar in his native village of Mayani in Khatau tehsil of Satara in western Maharashtra. The family includes his 46-year-old father Bhagwan Pawar, mother Mangal(40), 17-year-old brother Akash and grandmother Subhadra.
Mr. Tawde assured the family that a compensation of Rs five lakh would be paid to the family from the State Sports Development Fund. He also announced that an district-level award would be instituted in Pawar’s memory for talented, and emerging sportsmen from Satara.
Mr. Tawde also assured the family that the government would provide for Mayuresh’s younger brother, Akash Pawar’s education in future.
The 18-year-old Pawar had drowned to death at the Shanghumukhom beach in Thiruvanathapuram after he and his teammates had stopped by the beach while returning to the Games Village after a training session.
Thiruvananthapuram police said prima facie Pawar’s death seemed accidental. He and his friends had ventured 10 to 15 metres away from the shore and were clicking photographs when a powerful wave hit the Satara boy, throwing him off balance, and drowning him.
The Indian Olympic Association had expressed shock over the death and announced a compensation of Rs two lakh.
