Many state governments and their associated agencies are recognising medalists and other athletes for their outstanding performances at the Olympic games by announcing monetary awards and other accolades, which includes cash prizes and other rewards, including employment, land, etc.
In the middle of this, Kerala's Handloom Department surprised everyone on Saturday by announcing an unusual award for Indian Hockey goalie Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh.
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According to a report from Malayalam news outlet Janmabhumi, the Kerala handloom department has announced that Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh, also known as PR Sreejesh, one of the most influential players in field hockey and a key figure in India's success at the Tokyo Olympics, will be given a dhoti and shirt worth around Rs 1,000 as a token of appreciation for winning a bronze medal.
After defeating Germany 5-4 in the bronze medal play-off, the Indian Men's Hockey Team earned the historic bronze medal in the Field Hockey event at the Tokyo Olympics. For the first time in 41 years, India's men's hockey team won an Olympic gold.
PR Sreejesh, the team's most senior player, not only produced outstanding saves to keep the opposition from scoring, but he also motivated the younger members of the squad.
Several Indians praised the Indian goalkeeper for his performance and leadership after the Indian hockey team's triumph. In addition, some states have established incentives for members of hockey teams from their respective states as a reward for winning the medal at the highest stage.
Pinarayi Vijayan's state government has yet to declare an award for PR Sreejesh. Instead, he will be given a dhoti and a shirt by the Kerala government's handloom department.
Sreejesh performed admirably on the field and made history with his last-second penalty save, which earned him a bronze medal.