Govt to hike financial assistance for sportspersons: Gaude

Panaji: Sports minister Govind Gaude has assured veteran sportspersons that the state govt will increase the financial assistance that is currently being provided to meritorious sportsperson of yesteryears, presently in indigent circumstances.
“There was a request from Dronacharya Award winner Armando Colaco to enhance the financial assistance for retired sportspersons and I want to assure everyone that it will be done from the next financial year (2025-26),” Gaude said during the annual get-together and felicitation, organised by the Association for the Wellbeing of Elder Sportspersons (AWES) at Sinquetim Sports Complex, Navelim, on Saturday.
The sports minister was the chief guest for the event as Goa’s former sporting champions came together for an evening of fellowship and nostalgia.
“It feels great to be among a galaxy of stars from various sporting disciplines. I feel honoured because I have been blessed by all these superstars,” said Gaude.
The highlight of the evening was the felicitation of Armando Colaco, Goa’s first Dronacharya Award winner, and Digambar Kamat, Margao MLA and former chief minister, for his election to the World Aquatics Bureau, a first for a sports administrator from Goa. Kamat will have a four-year term as member starting July later this year.
The evening saw several stars relive the good old days while being felicitated for their contribution to their respective sports. Vero Nunes and Subhash Pandit, Goa’s table tennis champions from the seventies and eighties, walked together, while badminton saw three former champions – Rosephil Menezes, Michael D’Sa and Anil Madgavkar –together under one roof. There was also Goa’s first water polo international in Vishnu Mahale, volleyball coach-cum-player Avelino Pereira and sports promoter Dilip Salgaoncar.
‘Goa ka Ghoda’ Bernard Pereira, Salgaocar stars Bento Endro, Oscar Rebello, Dempo defender David D'Souza, and coach Peter Valles were among the footballers who were felicitated.
Perpetua Jacques, Shripad Kundaikar (both athletics), Daniel Rodrigues, (volleyball), Jovito Lopes (administration/sports journalism), Tommy Menezes (hockey), Luis Fernandes (basketball), Milagres Tereza, Gregory Estrocio, Domingos Barreto and Fr Eremita Coutinho (all football officials) were also felicitated.
“Every year, we try and bring together our heroes. We just want to reiterate that our efforts to ensure that our former sportspersons live a life of dignity will continue,” said AWES president Derrick Pereira, a former international footballer and coach.