Virbhadra congratulates Vijay Kumar for Padma award

Shimla - Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh Saturday congratulated London Olympic silver medallist shooter Vijay Kumar, who belongs to the state, for being chosen for the Padma Shri award.

Expressing gratitude to the central government for bestowing the honour on the pistol shooter, the chief minister said in a statement the state would honour the players belonging to Himachal Pradesh who will bring laurels for the country.

Vijay, who is serving in the Indian Army, belongs to Harsour village in Hamirpur district.

His father Banku Ram, a retired Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), told IANS: “He’s grateful to the government of India for this honour.”

At the state-level Independence Day function in Kullu town last year, then chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal gave a cash award of Rs.1 crore to Vijay and also conferred the Himachal Gaurav award on him.

The army man was also offered a residential plot in the industrial town of Baddi in Solan district.