CHENNAI: The sleepy locality of Ghoshpara in Danguajhar, a 14 km ride from Jalpaiguri in North Bengal has been buzzing with activity since Swapna Barman’s historic gold in the heptathlon. Her tin-roof house has seen a cavalcade of people, from well-wishers to politicians to journalists.
The same scene is repeating itself in other obscure and remote corners of the country like Dhing (Assam), Moga (Punjab), Tiruppur (Tamil Nadu) and Ujhana (Haryana).
Athletes like Hima Das, Barman, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Manjit Singh and Dharun Ayyasamy have not only garnered laurels for the country at the Asian Games in Jakarta but have done so after overcoming adverse socio-economic conditions.
Speak to the athletes, their childhood coaches, as well as their parents, and you get an idea of the adversities they have overcome during their journey to the top.
Hima grew up playing football on muddy fields. She was spotted during a state meet and she was instructed to pursue athletics. Her parents needed to be convinced she was brought Guwahati where athletics was not even part of the programme at the Directorate of Sports and Youth Welfare.
Toor belonged to family of farmers. He had come to Jakarta while his father was battling cancer, lying in a Punjab hospital.
Manjit, without a proper job, continued to train and was absent for the birth of his five-month old son while Dharun had to train for most of his life without proper footwear as his mother could not afford them after the passing away of his father.
“We could not provide three square meals a day and Swapna used to train on an empty stomach,” her father Panchanan said.
What got them over the line? What is the secret ingredient? Determination and hunger, said former Asian Games and Commonwealth Games medallist Anju Bobby George. “Athletes from poor background have a fire in them that distinguishes them from the rest. Players from well-to-do families set mediocre goals and after accomplishing them they lose their motivation.”
Gone are the days when medals used to come from players and athletes belonging to cities. The best sporting stories are playing out of villages and small towns. “India is a huge country and we have managed to tap only a fraction of the talent available in the country,” George said.
‘Great showing’
The Athletics Federation of India and the Sports Authority of India have done a commendable job so far, says Anju Bobby George. “Remote areas now have an abundance of talent. We need to send out scouts across the length and breadth of the country,” says the former Asian Games medallist.