Asian Games 2018

Not in TOP Scheme but among Asian Games medallists

The TOP Scheme is one of the most ambitious projects in Indian sports in recent years.

Santadeep Dey Santadeep Dey
06 September, 2018 19:42 IST

Manjit Singh, who won a gold in the 800m at the recently concluded Asian Games is hoping for inclusion in the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme.   -  GETTY IMAGES

Santadeep Dey Santadeep Dey
06 September, 2018 19:42 IST

Asian Games 800m gold medallist Manjit Singh, who doesn’t have a regular job, has requested the sports ministry to include him in the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme to prepare for upcoming big events such as the 2020 Tokyo Games.

The TOP Scheme is one of the most ambitious projects in Indian sports in recent years.

It was put in place in 2015 to groom players for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

READ: How to make it really tops!

A post-Rio Olympics assessment showed, crores were invested, but India won only two medals — badminton star P.V. Sindhu's silver and wrestler Sakshi Malik's bronze.

READ: When money and performance didn’t go hand in hand

The process of inclusion in the TOP Scheme has changed since. Performance reviews and accountability are among the changes brought in.

Manjit isn't the only athlete hoping for inclusion in TOP Scheme

Here is a list of India's Asian Games medallists who were not included in the scheme (as on 18.07.2018), and would be hoping to get in to pursue sporting excellence without the added pressure of worrying about money.

 

 

Team Medallists not on TOPS list as on 18.07.2018

 

Gold:  Rowing (Men's quadruple sculls) : Sawarn Singh, Dattu Bhokanal, Om Prakash and Sukhmeet Singh

Gold:  Athletics (Women’s 4x400m relay) : Saritaben Gayakwad and VK Vismaya

Gold: Bridge (Men’s pair): Pranab Bardhan and Shibnath Sarkar

Silver: Whole of the Indian Women’s Kabaddi Team

Silver: Equestrian (Eventing team): Maj Ashish Malik, Jitender Singh, Rakesh Kumar and Fouaad Mirza.

Silver: Archery (Women's team compound): Muskan Kirar and Madhumita Kumari

Silver: Archery (Men's team compound): Aman Saini 

Silver: Sailing (49er FX Women): Varsha Gautham and Sweta Shervegar

Silver: Whole of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team

Silver: Squash (Women’s team): Tanvi Khanna and Sunayna Kuruvilla.

Bronze: Whole of the Men’s Regu Sepak Takraw Team

Bronze: Whole of the Indian Men’s Kabaddi Team

Bronze: Rowing (Men's lightweight double sculls): Rohit Kumar and Bhagwan Singh

Bronze: Bridge (Men's team): Jaggy Shivdasani, Rajeshwar Tewari, Sumit Mukherjee, Ajay Khare, Raju Tolani, Debabrata Majumder.

Bronze: Bridge (Mixed team): Kiran Nadar, Hema Deora, Himani Khandelwal, Bachiraju Satyanarayana, Gopinath Manna, Rajeev Khandelwal

Bronze: Table tennis (Men's team): A Amalraj

Bronze: Sailing (49er Men): Varun Thakkar Ashok and Chengappa Ganapathy Kelapanda

Bronze: Squash (Men's team): Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu, Ramit Tandon and Mahesh Mangaonkar