The eleven on our hockey team, who recently won the Asian Champions trophy, recently refused a cash award of Rs 25,000 each at a recent felicitation ceremony sayuing that the prize amount was insultingly low.

While many would contend that such cash awards are more honorariums and tokens of appreciation than actual financial rewards, it is also true that our national game (not cricket) has aspiring sportspersons unenthused given the absolute lack of incentives. At the same time, the Indian cricket team was showered with financial munificence, with some team members receiving land grants and cash awards of Rs 2 crore. Faced with such criminal neglect and underappreciation, are our hockey players right in refusing teh cash award? Is a balanced sense of proportion needed in giving cash awards to our sportspersons?