Rinku Bhramdeen Singh (19), who can throw ball at over 89 mph and was adjudged the fastest thrower in the 'Million Dollar Arm Hunt' launched in December by an American sport firm, was today felicitated by US Ambassador David C Mulford.
Along with him, Dinesh Kumar Patel (20), the runner-up in the nationwide competition, which saw the participation of 30,000 young men from 30 major cities, was also honoured by the Ambassador.
Rinku, who hails from Uttar Pradesh and whose father is a truck driver, won a cash prize of USD 1,00,000 and along with Patel is now all set to travel to the US on Saturday.
The two youngsters will receive 12 months' intensive training under the supervision of prominent international trainers and scouts in San Francisco.
If all goes well during their year-long stint at the University of South California, they may get into a Major Baseball team for the 2009 season.
"I feel proud to be selected for a year-long training in the US. It is a dream come true for me," a proud Rinku, who has no knowledge of English, said.
He added: "My mother and father are happy that their son has won a nationwide contest and got a chance to travel to the US."
Congratulating the two youngsters, Mulford said so far there has not been any representation from India in the sport of baseball.
During the programme, the young Indians will also learn the art of competitive pitching before going in for trials with American Professional Baseball teams.
"I want to underline the fact that this is a very notable event in the history of our relationship with India," Mulford said.
Noting that a career in baseball is considered as ‘true stardom’ in the US, Mulford said young Indians can contribute to American baseball which will offer a ‘dramatic sporting opportunity’ to the future generation.
Officials from Percept D'Mark International and California-based 7 Figures Management, which had organised the talent hunt, said the competition is the latest evidence of the growing international interest in India's vast and largely untapped pool of sporting talent.
"There are about 300 million people in the country aged between 15 and 25 and ours is a small step in tapping such a large pool of sporting talent," a senior official with the firm said.