<span style="color: #222222;">Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has lauded the UP government for recognizing the efforts of para-athletes and felicitating para-athletes who won medals at the Tokyo Paralympics.  Addressing a function organized to felicitate Tokyo Paralympics medallists in Meerut yesterday,  the Minister said seven out of all the medallist Paralympians were from western UP.<br />''<br />''He appreciated the Meerut sports goods industry for its contribution in nurturing sports saying the bat of Meerut is a symbol of self-reliant India.  <br />''<br />''He also lauded  Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his government's decision to set up a Sports University in Meerut. He said that Member of Parliament sports competition has been started to popularize sports in every district. <br />''<br />''On the occasion,  32.50 crore rupees were distributed to  17 players who won medals and six players who participated in the Tokyo Paralympics.</span><br />