Bhubaneswar: Ace para shuttler Pramod Bhagat, who recently won a gold medal at Tokyo Paralympics, will arrive in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
According to sources, he will be felicitated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik later in the evening. The Odisha government has already announced a cash prize of Rs 6 crore and Group A job for him.
The reigning world champion became India’s first-ever para-badminton gold medalist in the Paralympics when he defeated Great Britain’s Daniel Bathell 21-14, 21-17 in two straight in the Men’s Singles SL3 final in Tokyo on September 4.
Bhagat won the Arjuna award for excellence in sports in 2019 and the same year, he was conferred with Biju Patnaik Sports Award given by the Odisha government.
A native of Attabira in Bargarh district, he contracted Polio at the age of 4. He picked up the sports after watching his neighbours play. Initially, he competed against able-bodied players before getting into competitive para-badminton in 2006.
Also Read: Know Why Odisha Para Shuttler Pramod Bhagat Had ‘Sleepless Night’ After Meeting Sachin Tendulkar
