Olympic medal winners should share their prize money with sports bodies, according to Maharashtra Sports Minister Vinod Tawde. "When they win at Olympics, my personal opinion, not as minister, is that 50% of the prize money should be given to that sport so that infrastructure can be created to have new heroes," he said.

He said the prize money given to those winning medals at the Olympics should be given during nationals instead, reported NDTV. The state minister made these remarks at a ceremony organised by the Maharashtra Badminton Association to felicitate silver medallist badminton player PV Sindhu and her coach Pullela Gopichand. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also present at the ceremony.

The state government also announced cash rewards for steeplechase athlete Lalita Babar and bronze medallist wrestler Sakshi Malik, besides Sindhu and Gopichand. While Sindhu and Babar will get Rs 75 lakh each, Malik will be given Rs 50 lakh, and Gopichand, Rs 25 lakh. Fadnavis also said that all five athletes from the state who participated at the Rio Olympics will be awarded Rs 50 lakh each, The Indian Express reported. "These sportspersons are Ayonika Paul, Prarthana Thombare, Dattu Bhonkanal, Devraj Walmiki and Kavita Raut,” the chief minister said.