Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju sanctions Rs 5 lakh each to help UP boxer Sunil Chauhan, archer Neeraj Chauhan

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New Delhi: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Tuesday (October 6, 2020) announced to extend financial support to Uttar Pradesh boxer Sunil Chauhan and his brother archer Neeraj Chauhan who were facing financial crunch after their father lost his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their father was the only earning member of the family and was reportedly forced to sell vegetables to make ends meet.

Taking cognizance of the matter and looking at the financial situation of the family, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju has sanctioned an ex-gratia financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the athletes under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons.

I'm happy to announce that Sports Ministry has sanctioned Rs 5 lakh each for UP archer Neeraj Chauhan and boxer Sunil Chauhan under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Fund. The athletes had a acute financial crisis because their father lost his livelihood during the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/b8XnxoyHHU — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) October 6, 2020

While archer Neeraj Chauhan has won the silver medal in 50m in Senior Archery Championship 2018 and won a medal at the 65th National School Games 2020, his brother Sunil Chauhan is a boxer and won the gold medal at the Khelo India University Games in 2020.

Boxer Sunil Chauhan, when contacted about the financial assistance, was thrilled about the news. 

He expressed, "The financial help will go a long way to help me and my family and we are really thankful to the minister to helping us at the time of our need."