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Swarajya Staff
Aug 17, 2018, 06:58 PM | Updated 06:57 PM IST
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Every medal which will be won by Indian athletes in the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia’s Jakarta and Palembang would be dedicated to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Chef de Mission Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh told ANI.
All the medals which will be won by the Indian athletes in #AsianGames2018 will be dedicated to the former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee: Chef de Mission (CDM) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to ANI (file pic) pic.twitter.com/ex16bq6dDj
— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018
The Asian Games will be held from 18 August till 2 September and Indian athletes would participate in a variety of events ranging from shooting to table-tennis. The contingent would be expecting to better its 2014 performance where it secured the eighth spot by winning 11 golds.
Expectations from the athletes are considered to be higher in light of India’s strong showing in the 2018 Commonwealth Games where India finished third by winning 26 golds.
The demise of Vajpayee has also been mourned by the sports fraternity including sports minister and Olympics silver medallist Rajyavardhan Rathore and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
In Atal ji, we have lost the pole star of Indian politics. A visionary, statesman, poet, leader. The loss is deeply personal for me. One of my fondest memories is shaking his hand after CWG 2002. Alvida, Atal ji. Miss you. #AtaljiAmarRahen pic.twitter.com/fyfF7iKro5
— Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) August 17, 2018
India is at a great loss today. Shri #AtalBihariVajpayee jiâs contributions to our nation have been innumerable. Thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) August 16, 2018
The last rites of the former prime minister were concluded amidst chanting of Vedic hymns at the Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. The funeral pyre was lit by his foster daughter Namita Bhattacharya, who was accompanied by her daughter Niharika and other relatives of the former prime minister.