Help pours in for Olympian’s widow

The minister has asked the Zonal Sports Director at Pune to inquire into the matter and submit a report to the ministry at the earliest. She said that her ministry would also take up the matter with the Maharashtra Government to ensure that the old lady was not harassed again and was brought under some kind of social security net.

ThankingThe Indian Express for bringing the miserable condition of Mary to light, the Sports Minister said that she had also directed her ministry officials to arrange a meeting in person with the old widow. “I have ordered my ministry officials to ensure that she should not be washing dishes from tomorrow.”

Bharti said that she would also look into similar cases of government neglect and apathy with other sportspersons and their families. It was the duty of the government to take care of such persons who represented India and did her proud, she added.

In Mumbai, the Bombay Hockey Association (BHA) announced it will donate Rs 5,000 to Philips’s widow. The Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Maharashtra has received a sanction order from the government to forward her a monthly pension of Rs 1,000 with effect from this month.

The State Government disburses Rs 1,000 for international and Rs 800 for national sportspersons as a monthly pension. “We are forwarding this case to the Sports Authority ofIndia so that she gets the pension (Rs 2,000) from them as well,” said director of sports and youth affairs Ashwani Kumar.

Meanwhile, people are pouring into Mary’s house in Khadki. “Many people have given us money,” says Mary, who has once again became a household name here more than five decades after she married the Olympian. Help is coming from many quarters.

Former Indian women’s hockey captain Namrata Shah Nee Nazleen Madaraswala who has promised financial assistance to Mary. Vinod Dua, managing director of Omincure Medicaments has assured a monthly contribution of Rs 1,000 for her. “I shall go to her place in person tomorrow and hand over the cash,” said Dua.

Priyardarshini School, Bhosari felicitated Mary and the chairman of the school Inderman Singh handed over a cheque of Rs 700 for this month, and assured the same amount every month.