Sports Minister Ajay Maken on Monday congratulated Gagan Narang for winning a bronze medal in the men’s 10m Air Rifle event at the London Olympics and announced that the ace marksman will be offered a job as a Group A employee in the Sports Authority of India, which is equivalent to an IAS officer.
“Had it not been for one shot, Gagan could have won the gold as well. All these Olympians whether they win a medal or not would be provided an officer grade job with the SAI.
“A medal winner will straight away be promoted as Group A employee which is an IAS officer rank. So Gagan can be an IAS officer,” Mr. Maken told reporters outside the Royal Artillery Barracks where Narang opened India’s account in the medals tally.
“Medal winners in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and World Championships straight away qualify to be an IAS officer. They would also be given cash rewards by central and state governments and by their employers also,” Mr. Maken added.
Narang, an Air India employee, shot 103.1 in the nail-bitting 10-shot final for an aggregate of 701.1 after scoring 598 in the qualifying round in which also he finished third.
Narang’s compatriot and defending champion Abhinav Bindra had, however, crashed out in the preliminary round finishing a dismal 16th out of 47 participants with a score of 594 out of 600.
Mr. Maken said it would have been great for the nation had Gagan and Bindra both qualified for the medal round.
“It would have been so much better had Gagan and Bindra both qualified for the medal round. But unfortunately, Bindra could not. It would have been great to see two Indian players standing at the podium. It would have been awesome,” he said.
Keywords: London 2012, London Olympics 2012, Ajay Maken, Gagan Narang
Nothing in the olympics is a surety. Previous champions fall by the way side; case in point US swimmer Michael Schelp now has difficulty to get to the medal podium, US top women gymnast knocked out of competition, Spain WC and Euro champs knocked out of football
cold in 2 matches losing both 0-1 to Japan and Honduras. So this is the charm of olympics where previous laurels just won't matter like
India's ex shooting star Bhindra; may be he'll make up in another event but that's to be seen. At least Narang won the bronze. Same kind of upsets could be in the offing in tennis, men's hockey and badminton. That may bode well for Saina and Indian hockey team since they're the dark horses.
Am sorry sir, if everyone gets a job why should I win the medal? Are we rewarding success or just being present.
So we all should get job for joining BE and not necessarily complete.
And dont get me wrong anyone, am proud of all the olympians representing my country. But its sports authority of india right? not shooting authority of India.
We need to have these bodies managed and run by people who understand different sports broadly. It would be best in the interest of the nation if we restrict at least to the winners being employed and stop political gimmicks
Gagan, congrats on the medal but dont take up the govt job and become another parasite in the system. Ask Maken to give it as money instead.
Finally we have a Sports Minister who respect sports persons.
Quote: Medal winners in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games
and World Championships straight away qualify to be an IAS officer. -
Ajay Maken
VERY GOOD IDEA! We should scrap UPSC & state public service
commissions immediately and follow the idea of the sport minister.
Nobody will have a second opinion that we should encourage and support
sport persons in every way to make them shine in their chosen field
and live a decent life. At the same time one should not forget the
reality that most eminent sport persons are school drop outs, and can
they be given Group A position directly?
Its better someone remind the minister to be on the ground, else he
may announce Bharat Ratna from London for every medallist.
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