CM Vijay continues to reward TN athletes, announces Rs 50 lakh for relay medalists
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced a cash award of Rs 50 crore each for Vithya Ramraj and Vishal TK after the two athletes helped India win silver in the 4x400m mixed relay at the Asian Games.
The announcement comes just days after Vijay rewarded G Kamalini with Rs 75 lakhs after the young cricketer was part of the Indian women’s T20 team that won gold at the Asian Games.
Vijay congratulated Kamalini, a native of Tamil Nadu, after India’s 147-run win over Sri Lanka in the final. The latest announcement means that two sets of medal-winning Tamil Nadu athletes from the Indian Asian Games teams have now been awarded cash prizes by the state government.
Vithya and Vishal were part of the Indian quartet along with TS Manu and MR Poovamma that clocked 3:14.46 win silver in the 4x400m mixed relay. Bahrain won gold with a Games record of 3:12.87. CM Vijay congratulated both Vishal TK and Vithya Ramraj. Image: Screengrab from X/@CMOTamilnadu
INDIA’S THIRD SILVER IN A ROW
India’s last relay medal was its third place on the Asian Games podium in the 4x400m medley relay.
The event was introduced at the 2018 Asian Games, when India won the gold. India then won silver at the 2022 edition before adding another silver in Aichi-Nagoya.
India had earlier qualified for the final after finishing second in Heat 2.
The team was aiming for a different color of medal.
“We expected gold. But of course, Bahrain, we expected a tough fight. But we all ran really well,” Poovamma said after the race.
“So in the women’s 400 relay we want to win gold, change the color of the medal.”
VITHY’S ASIAN GAMES ARE ON
Vithya Ramraj has now added another Asian Games medal to her growing collection.
The Coimbatore native competes in the 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay. She equaled India’s 400m hurdles national record of 55.42 seconds at the 2023 Asian Games and was also part of India’s 4x400m relay team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She previously won silver in the 4x400m medley relay at the 2022 Asian Games and bronze in the 400m hurdles at the 2023 Games. She also won bronze in the 400m hurdles at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi.
VISHAL’S BREAKTHROUGH YEAR
Vishal TK has also had a breakout year in the 400m.
The Jolarpettai native finished fourth in the men’s 400m at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, while also winning gold in the 4x400m medley relay and silver in the men’s 4x400m relay.
He then became the first Indian athlete to break the 45-second mark in the men’s 400m when he clocked 44.98 seconds at the National Senior Athletics Federation Championships in Ranchi. The run also set a new national record.
Now, after another international medal, Vishal will receive Rs 50 lakh from the Tamil Nadu government, the same amount announced for Vithya.
– The end