Suresh Kusale, father of Paris Olympics bronze medalist Swapnil Kusale, expressed disappointment on Monday over the Maharashtra government awarding his son Rs 2 crore as prize money. Swapnil, hailing from Kolhapur, secured bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions event at the Paris Olympics in August. His father argued that Maharashtra’s reward pales in comparison to other states like Haryana, which offers significantly higher amounts for Olympic medalists.
Suresh Kusale pointed out that Haryana awards Rs 5 crore to Olympic medal winners, while Maharashtra provides Rs 5 crore for gold, Rs 3 crore for silver, and Rs 2 crore for bronze. He questioned why such criteria exist when Swapnil is only the second individual from Maharashtra to win an Olympic medal in 72 years, after wrestler KD Jadhav in 1952.
He expressed frustration, saying, “Had I known this outcome, I would have encouraged him to pursue a different sport. Would the prize have been the same if he were the son of a politician?” Suresh also requested that a flat near Pune’s Balewadi Sports Complex be provided to Swapnil, alongside naming the 50m rifle shooting arena after his son.
Swapnil was recently promoted by his employer, Central Railway, to Officer on Special Duty. The Maharashtra government had doubled its prize money for athletes who win medals at major events like the Olympics, World Championships, and Asian Games, but Suresh Kusale feels the amount remains insufficient for his son’s achievements.