K. Kavita, founder-president of Telangana Jagruthi and chief patron of Indian Body Building Federation, has announced that the winner of the ‘Mr. India' bodybuilding championship to be held at Gachibowli Indoor Stadium from January 20 to 22, will be given a cash prize of Rs.3 lakh.
“I remember two bodybuilders -- Laxman Reddy and Raju Yadav -- wanting to participate in Mr. Universe championships but did not have adequate funds. They returned with medals after we helped them,” she said. It was then that the idea occurred to revive the sport in a region once popular for bodybuilding.
Ms. Kavita is personally involved is seeing that the 300-odd participants from across the country have a memorable stay in the city during the competition. “There will be cash prizes for the best pose in each of the categories to encourage the participants. IBBF secretary Chetan M. Pathare said the Hyderabad edition was the biggest-ever event in India in terms of prize money with about Rs.15 lakh to be given away in different categories for the top three places.
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“This is the support we were desperately looking for. Hope it will give a thrust to the sport,” he said. The organisers have also roped in the services of the two most popular faces of the sport here -- Mohtesham Ali Khan and Laxman Reddy.