Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore rewarded Indian athlete Govindan Lakshmanan with Rs 10 lakh yesterday, acknowledging the long distance runner's performance in the 10,000m race in which he was dramatically disqualified after finishing third.

Lakshmanan had stepped off the track momentarily, as he was hit by the spike of another athlete. The Indian team protested against the disqualification at two levels but it was turned down. "To encourage the athlete to keep doing the hard work and strive for medals, the sports minister Rajyavardhan Rathore rewarded him Rs 10 lakh," read a statement from the sports ministry yesterday.