India has achieved its best-ever medal booty at the 2018 Asian Games, baging 69 medals totally. While some of the medal winners have been promised the cash rewards in crores which would surely help them in their chase of higher ambitions in the upcoming events, some have had to return back home to resume their menial jobs. Have you heard about Harish Kumar? He is the bronze medalist who is also the member of the Sepaktakraw team which has finished third on the podium.
Harish is a tea seller at his father’s shop which located at Delhi’s Manju Ka Tilla has had to resume the same job since returning from Indonesia. Harish says “I have many family members and there is a very meagre source of income. I help my father at the tea shop to support my family. I dedicate four hours every day between 2 to 6 for my practice. For my future, I want to get a good job to support my family.”
Disclosing on how he got attracted to the sport, he said that it was abaft in the year 2011 when he had played his first Sepaktakraw after he was introduced to the game by his coach. “I started playing this sport from 2011. My coach Hemraj brought me into this sport. We also used to play with a tyre when my coach Hemraj spotted me and introduced me to the Sports Authority of India (SAI). Thereafter I started receiving monthly funds and kits. I practice every day and will keep on doing it to bring more laurels for my country,” he said.
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Harish added that people in his neighborhood used to tell him that he is wasting his time playing the game. People told me earlier that what will this game give you. It will give you nothing. You are wasting your time. They used to tell my coach to hit me. They used to say your coach is robbing your money.
Those same people have welcomed him with garlands after Harish won the bronze medal. And now, the same people have welcomed me with garlands. I wish that everyone else is motivated by my performance to play. There are more kids who are playing the game.
Harish belongs to a family where it difficult to meet the daily demands and hence supporting the dreams of Harish of winning the medal in the Asian Games is really tricky. His mother Indira Devi thanks government of providing shelter and food for Harish during his preparation span.
“What sadness should I share about my house. How I took care of my child even when I had fever. How I cooked for him. I’ve seen so much of helplessness, I can’t even tell you. I’ve two children, who are blind.”
His brother Dhawan was also thankful to the government after the Sports Authority of India sponsored Harish’s training while also giving monthly allowances. “There were times when we did not have money to pay our rent. His coach Hemraj took him under his training and admitted him to the stadium. Later, the Sports Authority of India supported us by giving monthly finances and sports kits. I also urge the government to give my brother a government job so that he can support our family,” he revealed.
With the Asian Games journey over, Harish was helping his family earn their living by selling tea at his father’s shop at the Majnu ka Tilla. The sepaktakraw athlete wishes for a government job which will help him support his family. Now, ” I would like to get a good job. And the finances of this house becomes good. I am practicing and will keep practicing my game. I will win medals for my country” says Harish.
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