Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has announced a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh each for Vithya Ramraj and Vishal T K after the two athletes helped India win silver in the mixed 4x400m relay at the Asian Games.
The announcement comes just days after Vijay rewarded G Kamalini with Rs 75 lakh after the young cricketer was part of India’s women’s T20 team that won gold at the Asian Games.
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Vijay had congratulated Kamalini, a Tamil Nadu native, after India’s 147-run win over Sri Lanka in the final. The latest announcement means two sets of Tamil Nadu athletes from India’s medal-winning Asian Games teams have now been recognised with cash rewards by the state government.
Vithya and Vishal were part of India’s quartet alongside TS Manu and MR Poovamma that clocked 3:14.46 to win silver in the mixed 4x400m relay. Bahrain took gold with a Games-record 3:12.87.
INDIA’S THIRD STRAIGHT SILVER
India’s latest relay medal was its third consecutive Asian Games podium finish in the mixed 4x400m relay.
The event was introduced at the 2018 Asian Games, when India won gold. India then took silver at the 2022 edition before adding another silver in Aichi-Nagoya.
India had earlier qualified for the final after finishing second in Heat 2.
The team had been targeting a different colour of medal.
“We were expecting a gold. But of course, Bahrain, we were expecting a tough fight. But we all ran really good,” Poovamma said after the race.
“So, in the women’s 400 relay, we want to win a gold, change the colour of the medal.”
VITHYA’S ASIAN GAMES RUN
Vithya Ramraj has now added another Asian Games medal to her growing collection.
The Coimbatore native competes in the 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay. She equalled the Indian national record in the 400m hurdles with a time of 55.42 seconds at the 2023 Asian Games and was also part of India’s 4x400m relay team at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
She had previously won silver in the mixed 4x400m relay at the 2022 Asian Games and bronze in the 400m hurdles at the 2023 Games. She also won bronze in the 400m hurdles at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi.
VISHAL’S BREAKTHROUGH YEAR
Vishal T K has also enjoyed a breakthrough year in the 400m.
The Jolarpettai native finished fourth in the men’s 400m at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, while also winning gold in the mixed 4x400m relay and silver in the men’s 4x400m relay.
He then became the first Indian athlete to break the 45-second barrier in the men’s 400m when he clocked 44.98 seconds at the National Federation Senior Athletics Championships in Ranchi. The run also set a new national record.
Now, after another international medal, Vishal will receive Rs 50 lakh from the Tamil Nadu government, the same amount announced for Vithya.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
