While talented weightlifter Soniya Chanu may be a bit disappointed for not being able to give a golden start to India in the Commonwealth Games,in Uttar Pradesh Police (UPP) where she is an inspector,many were glued to their TV sets to watch her perform in the 48 kg class and are really happy with her winning a silver medal. A promotion awaits her on her arrival to Lucknow. The phone at her flat at Reserve Police Lines here was being attended by her cousin Sumila and people from the department kept conveying their congratulatory messages. I have promised all those who rang up that I will convey their messages to Soniya. The phone has not stopped ringing ever since she won the silver. Talking to The Indian Express,Arun Kumar,secretary UP Police Sports Control Board and IG Police said, I am really happy with the fact that she has bagged a silver medal in the prestigious event. She will be given an out of turn promotion now. It is a matter of pride for us that three more UP Police players Arjuna awardee Anuj Kumar Chaudhary (wrestling),V Chaudhary (athletics) and Ajay Patel (athletics) are representing the nation in the event. When asked if the matter of Soniyas promotion has to be discussed or whether it is confirmed,Kumar explained,As per our rules,UP Police players who bag gold or silver in prestigious international events are given out of turn promotion. Since Soniya is already an inspector,she will be promoted as Deputy SP now. There will be no technical difficulties are we are ourselves in the committee for the same. I have come to know that recently she had said that she aims to do well at CWG and get a promotion and now she will be getting it. Regarding UP Police's expectations from the 30-year-old weightlifter,Arun Kumar said, She has performed true to our expectations. She has won a silver in such a prestigious event like the Commonwealth Games and we are proud of her. We will also be recommending her name for prestigious sports awards. Arjuna awardee Ranveer Singh,who is assistant director sports in UP Police and former captain of the Indian volleyball team,informed that Soniya was recruited in UPP through the sports quota as a sub-inspector in 2002 and got promoted as an inspector in 2005 due to her achievements in sports. She is a disciplined and hard-working weight-lifter. It is a big thing that she has won a silver in such a mega event. I would really like to see her promoted again for her efforts. She will also be felicitated with cash prize money by the department. Last year,Soniya had won a gold in the Commonwealth Championships held at Malaysia. Soniya hails from Manipur and was a trainee of SAI Centre of Excellence located at Sports College,Lucknow till 2005. She secured a silver in the 1st Afro-Asian Games held at Hyderabad in 2003 and a silver in the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2005 held at Melbourne.
