Chandigarh, Aug 23:
A grand welcome awaits Rio Olympics bronze medallist wrestler Sakshi Malik when she arrives home tomorrow, with preparations underway to give her a rousing reception at Bahadurgarh and at her village Mokhra Khas in Rohtak district.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who was earlier scheduled to honour her at her village, will felicitate her at Bahadurgarh at Jhajjar district, a senior officer of the State’s Sports and Youth Affairs Department said.
When Sakshi touches down at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi at around 3:50 a.M. Tomorrow, as many as five ministers of the BJP Government in Haryana will be there to receive her.
Among the ministers who will be there to receive her include Kavita Jain, Rao Narbir Singh, Manish Grover and Vipul Goel, Director of Sports and Youth Affairs Department, Haryana, Jagdeep Singh Sheoran said here today.
Haryana’s Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Anil Vij, who was present in Rio as head of state delegation, will accompany Sakshi on the return flight.
“Aa rahi hoon main, apne des apne ghar! (I am coming back, to my country, to my home),” Sakshi tweeted earlier today.
She also posted on twitter the pictures of sumptuous breakfast which she had in Rio. “A proper breakfast! How I have missed you!,” she tweeted.
Meanwhile, giving details of the grand reception planned for Sakshi, Jagdeep Singh said, “Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will travel to Bahadurgarh to honour her. Cash award of Rs 2.5 crore for her bronze medal effort is also likely to be given to her at Bahadurgarh itself.”
A felicitation function for Sakshi has been kept for tomorrow evening at her village in Rohtak.
Before she heads to Rohtak, Sakshi will be welcomed near the Delhi-Haryana border at Bahadurgarh where apart from the Chief Minister, prominent sportspersons, senior officials of the state government, will receive her.
Along the way, Sakshi will make brief stopovers at a couple of villages in Rohtak district including Ismaila village where she will meet her maternal uncle.
With requests from several village Sarpanches along the way requesting that Sakshi make a brief stopover, the wrestler may take hours before she manages to reach Rohtak.
She will travel in a bedecked vehicle. (PTI)