Independent India's first Olympic medal in danger of being auctioned

07/26/2017

The family of India's first Olympic medalist in an individual event, KD Jadhav, has threatened to auction the medal he won at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, after a clash with the Maharashtra government. The feud is over the funding of an Academy being established in his honor by the State government.

It was a historic day for India when KD Jadhav became the first Indian athlete to bag a bronze medal in the individual event of freestyle wrestling but no one would have thought that the medal would end up being auctioned after 65 years.

Jadhav's family has threatened to auction his medal owing to funds not being sanctioned by the Maharashtra government for opening an academy in his honor in Satara.

“It had always been my father’s dream to set up a world-class wrestling academy in our village in Satara,” said Ranjit Jadhav, KD Jadhav's son told Sportskeeda.

There have been reports that Rs 1.58 crore had been sanctioned for the academy by the Maharashtra Sports Ministry but the amount hasn't been released yet.

"The matter has been not been solved even after sanctioning the amount,” Jadhav said.

However, the wrestler's son is ready to take any steps required to make his father's dream come true even if it means auctioning the medal.

Jadhav's son stated that 14th August will be the last date on which they expect a resolution on the matter. Following the passage of the date, the villagers have threatened to go on a hunger strike followed by the auctioning of the medal to collect the necessary funds required for establishing the academy.

On the other hand, a government official has assured the family and the villagers that the issue has been taken to Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis.