LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti has awarded a cheque of Rs100,000 to legendary wrestler Din Mohammad, who won gold at the 1954 Asian Games besides recommending the 94-year-old’s name to the Punjab government for a house in the Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme.

The minister visited the Din Mohammad’s house, in the Batapur area near the Indian-Pakistan border. Din Mohammad has spent his life in poverty with the government never in the past recognising his services. It was only until recently that his whereabouts were discovered following a media story on him.

Din Mohammad said that only those sportspersons who were employed by the Pakistan Army in the 1950s and 1960s were honoured for winning a medal at international level but civilian athletes weren’t rewarded.

He appealed to the government to have full data of the past medal winners and to help them in crisis.

Taimoor said all of Pakistan’s medal winners were the heroes of the country. “His name will also be included in the list of Pakistan sports legends, who will be honoured at an award ceremony in near future,” added Taimoor. “Din Muhammad rendered great services for the country in the field of wrestling and that’s why his portrait is being placed in the Wall of Fame at Sports Board Punjab.”

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2020