“Badhai ho, lekin bahut maafi ke saath (Congratulations, with my deepest apology),” said Mani Shankar Aiyar, Minister of Sports, before handing over a cheque of Rs 1.75 lakh to ace Indian woman archer Chekrovolu Swuro at his home this afternoon.

The presentation followed a report in The Indian Express on July 6, which highlighted Swuro’s two-year wait for the cheque for her performance at the Asian Archery Championships (bronze) and the Golden Arrow European Grand Prix (silver) in 2005.

Turning to Joint Secretary, Ministry of Sports, I Srinivas, Aiyar said: “Is this the way you function? If it wouldn’t have been for that report in The Indian Express, I would never have learnt about this and I wonder how long it would have taken for her to get her due.”

As reported by this newspaper, Swuro first got the cheque on June 30, 2006, which was the last day of its six-month validity period. Since then, Swuro’s efforts to get the money had been stuck in red tape.

Swuro is part of the women’s team that recently qualified for the Beijing Olympics next year.

Sitting close to the Nagaland archer, the Minister listened carefully as she narrated how she was sent back repeatedly by the Ministry with the promise that she would be paid the next time she comes. But the next time never came.

“It is really unfortunate that a sportsperson should wait for more than two years to get her prize money. It also shows the lackadaisical approach of people in the Ministry,” said Aiyar, adding, “We need to change all this.”

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