Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today announced that Pynshngain Kurbah, who won a medal during the ongoing 38th National Games, will be provided with a government job.
Kurban won a Bronze Medal in canoeing. The medal is the first for Meghalaya at this level in this sport. It also ends a long wait for any medal in the National Games, with the last for the state coming in 2015 – Meghalaya drew a blank in 2022 and 2023.
21-year-old Pynshngain of Labyrwa village, Ri-Bhoi took to kayak slalom less than seven years ago with no intention to pursue it professionally. Since then, under the guidance of the Meghalaya Canoe Association has gone on to become one of the most promising athletes in the country. He has also won a silver medal in the Khelo India Youth Games, the highest medal for Meghalaya at the time.
He trains with a cohort of nearly 20 athletes in Umtham, Ri-Bhoi, including Elizabeth Vincent, an Asian Championship Bronze Medallist.
The chief minister interacted with Pynshngain and congratulated him on winning the Bronze Medal.
“As part of the Sports Policy’s implementation and to acknowledge Pynshngain’s remarkable accomplishment, the government will provide him with a government job,” the chief minister said.
Pynshngain will also receive multiple awards through the ongoing schemes of the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs. Under the Cash Awards Scheme, he will receive an award of Rs 1 lakh, and a cumulative scholarship of seventy-two thousand under the Sports Scholarship Scheme.
The chief minister also congratulated Coach Ian Vincent, and Team Manager Sheela Vincent.
