Patna: It's not cricket, many may grumble. But when Tejaswi Prasad Yadav, the younger son of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Laloo Prasad Yadav, jauntily walked up to his Chief Minister mother Rabri Devi at the imposing stage of the Srikrishna Memorial Hall on August 29 to receive the 'Khel Kirti Samman', the entire auditorium burst into loud cheers.

The 12-year-old Tejaswi, a student of the Delhi Public School (DPS), R K Puram, New Delhi, shared the honours with Krishna Kumar Sharma (athletics), who won gold medal in discus throw at the National Games at Hyderabad in 2002, the first for the state after its bifurcation, and Babar Arafat, who brought laurels for the country bagging gold medals in 100 metre walk and softball throw at the special Olympic games at Dublin.

The son of Bihar's first couple became the youngest recipient of the state's top sports award, given by the state's Art, Culture and Youth Ministry, for his distinguished performance on the field as the proud parents looked on.

However, Tejaswi has little to show for the award that was bestowed upon him.

His bio-data, released by the ministry, says he has represented the DPS in inter-school cricket and participated in some undisclosed school level tournaments in England and the US. He also represented Bihar in the under-12 K D Singh Babu hockey tournament in Lucknow and under-15 throwball championship at Bangalore. But there are no details of his performance in the tournaments he played.

Yadav's son, however, was quick to donate the Rs 51,000 cash prize that goes with the award to the Chief Minister's Fund for extending help to poor sportspersons.

A jubilant Tejaswi, when asked by reporters about his plans, said, "I want to represent India in cricket as an all rounder. I am really very, very happy."

Altogether 88 sports personalities, including 33 of indoor cricket and 32 of throwball were felicitated for their outstanding performances at national level tourneys.

However, not many were impressed by the show.

"Nobody has any objection to the selection of awardees. But those in power must explain why Deep Dasgupta, who won the world junior chess championship in the year 2000 was not considered for any sports honour by the state government," asked A R Khan, secretary of the Bihar Chess Association.

Bihar Cricket Association secretary Ajay Narain Sharma said it would have been appropriate if players representing Bihar in popular sports like cricket, football, kabaddi and volleyball were also included in the list of awardees.

Chief Minister Rabri Devi, who gave away the awards on the occasion of 'Khel Diwas', stressed the need for greater participation of women in sports events.

Reaffirming her government's commitment to encouraging sports, she said, a sports medicine centre had been opened at the Moinul Haq Stadium in the state capital, which would also house the offices of nine sports associations.

RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav said the government had in principle decided to provide job reservation to sportspersons. The modalities for reservations in government jobs for sportspeople were being worked out.

The government, he said, had also recently approved a proposal for construction of a sports complex with housing facilities for sportsmen at Kankarbagh in East Patna.

PTI