Kiren Rijiju sanctions Rs 5 lakh for ailing footballer Ramananda Ningthoujam

Guwahati: The Sports Ministry has sanctioned financial assistance of five lakh rupees for the ailing Indian junior footballer Ramananda Ningthoujam.

The young Indian footballer Ramananda Ningthoujam, is presently at Hospital suffering from blurred vision, along with kidney problem.

As per reports, Ramananda, the son of a rickshaw-puller, is taking treatment from Shija Hospital in Imphal, Manipur.

In a statement, the sports ministry stated "Taking cognizance of his serious medical condition and the financial situation of the family, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Kiren Rijiju has sanctioned an ex-gratia financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakhs to the athlete under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons,"

Notably, Ramananda has represented India in the U-17 Asian Championships at Guwahati in 2017.

The Sports Minister said athletes are national assets and need to be supported.

"They are also national icons so if we cannot ensure a life of dignity for them, then it would be impossible to motivate sportspersons who give up the best years of their life for sport," Rijiju also added.

Earlier, veteran sports commentator Novy Kapadia was also given financial assistance through the same fund.

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