The easiest way to Gurdaspur is from Amritsar. A two-hour journey on the NH54 that passes through lush green fields will take you there: a small town chock-a-block with people.
Further down, a two-km ride on a bumpy road takes you to a nondescript Punjabi village: Kothe Ghurala. When you ask the locals about Shingara Singh, they give a quizzical look. It all changes once they hear his son’s name. “Avtar toh humaara puttar hai (Avtar is our son),” they say, and give you the exact location.
Just before you enter, the concrete road runs out and a kuccha sadak takes its place. Because of heavy rain, the narrow lane has become quite slippery. The surroundings remind you of a bygone era — endless fields with cows grazing and small huts. After walking for about five minutes, carefully navigating your way through puddles, you reach the house of India’s brightest hope in judo.
It’s a single-storey building without a coat of paint, and the first floor is yet to be completed. “Avtar has promised to get it done if he wins a medal,” Shingara said. There is a hall as soon as you enter. Adorning the wall are medals the 2016 South Asian Games champion has won. Asked when he realised his son had the potential to become a world beater, Shingara said, Avtar burst onto the scene by winning the junior nationals in 2010. In two months, he won gold at the Commonwealth Junior Championship in the 81kg category. Success at the this level prompted a senior call-up in 2011 via a direct entry into the national World Cup team headed for Mongolia.
****
It was the start of 2015. Desperate for funds but exasperated due to lack of support, Avtar Singh had all but given up. His dream of going to Rio was fading. The then 22-year-old returned to his village, a weary man. His father Shingara, a Class 4 employee in the health department at Naushehra Majha Singhan, the local government hospital, called a family meeting.
Avtar needed to improve his rankings to stand any chance of representing the country at the Olympics. The Samsun Grand Prix in Turkey was beginning on March 27. The Judo Federation of India told him that his name had been sent but they couldn’t fund the trip.
After working for 21 years, Shingara had nearly `4 lakh in fixed deposits: his life’s savings. He decided to withdraw the entire amount the very next day and handed it over to Avtar. He hesitated. “Le le puttar (take it son),” his father said. After much coaxing from his mother Sukhvinder Kaur and younger brother Jagtar, he was heading to Turkey.
****
Training hard at the national camp in Delhi, the official release from the International Judo Federation (IJF) finally came through on May 31. He had done it. Avtar was going to Rio in the 90kg category. The first thought that crossed his mind was to call his father. He conveyed the good news. No sound from the other side. Thinking that he got disconnected, he was about to redial. Then, his father answered. “Jug jug jiyo! Wahe guru, wahe guru…(have a long and prosperous life. Praise the lord).”
Most judokas need 20-30 events to improve their rankings. Because of financial constraints, Avtar managed only six. From a lowly 200, the six-foot-four judoka reached 79th on the cut-off day, good enough to secure one of the two continental quotas on offer. A key reason for the rapid jump was his performances during the Asian Championships in April. Avtar lost in the semis but defeated Iranian Saeed Moradi in the repechage round.
****
Shingara had three brothers and three sisters. They had land and cattle to look after. Soon after Avtar was born, his father decided to take up work in the hospital. “The name was given by his grandfather.” Rishu, as he was affectionately called, was a naughty kid. “He would never stop running and jumping. We would get tired of chasing him,” Sukhvinder told Express. In an effort to tire him out, he was told to help his mother tend to the rice and wheat on his family farm, and look after their cattle. As he toiled under his mother’s supervision, Rishu grew in strength and height.
Not that he was a bad student. His grades were good and teachers at the Tagore Memorial Senior Secondary School had no complaints regarding Avtar’s attendance. “The extra work he did helped him gain stamina. By 13, he was six feet. That’s when we decided to send him to the local judo training centre,” Shingara revealed.
Growing up in a joint family was fun as he got to play with cousins. But squabbles over property led to them moving out.
****
Humility is a hallmark of champions is an old adage. In the case of Avtar, it suits him to the T. “His best attribute is his humility. Despite winning, his attitude towards family, friends never changed. He used to come back from the national camp and play with me. We used to practice judo together. I learn at the same institute as bhaiyya. I’m proud of him,” Avtar’s 15-year-old brother Jagtar said.
After news reached the village of Avtar’s selection, everybody went to meet him at the bus stop. People took him on their shoulders and went across the village. Soon after that, he went out to play with neighbourhood kids. “He is a shy boy. He loves playing with kids,” his mother explained.
The house bears a forlorn look on most days as Jagtar goes for training while Shingara goes to work. Most days, Sukhvinder is alone. “I love it when Avtar comes home. He loves to eat and I love cooking for him. He prefers roti and any sabzi. Earlier, he used to eat spicy food and drank a lot of lassi. That has reduced. Sometimes I quietly hand him a glass,” she added.
****
No story on Avtar is complete without the mention of the Shahid Bhagat Singh JFI training centre. Located in the Government Model Senior Secondary school, it has a big hall that currently houses 215. “Judo belongs to Gurdaspur. The town boasts of close to 30 judo clubs, and its popularity saw JFI tie up with us in 2015. Every household has some history with judo,” Avtar’s first coach Amarjit Shastri said. Gurdaspur has supplied the most number of judokas to the Punjab Services and Punjab Police over the years.
Avtar joined the centre in 2005. “I always knew he could do it. He never skipped training, irrespective of the weather or health. He was one dedicated kid. “It’s every coach’s dream to produce an Olympian. With his selection, my services as a judo coach for the last 33 years have finally borne fruit.”
Avtar is not the only gem emerging from the rubble. “We have three more world-class judokas. All national champions — Karanjit Singh Mann, Jasleen Singh Saini and Jobandeep Singh. You will hear about them when the next Games come around,” Amarjit added.
But the institute itself looks in dire need of assistance. It has an old gymnasium with most of the equipment in rusted state. Bathrooms are unclean and it has no doctors. “We need a total makeover. Sports medicine has to be brought in if athletes have to reach the next level. We need new equipment. Those who have started winning can afford their own kit and help juniors, but the poor kids suffer. We have a Judo Welfare Society, wherein all judokas who have become officers in the police or armed forces, help maintain the institute,” Amarjit revealed. Avtar is an Assistant Sub-Inspector with Punjab Police since 2011. With Avtar going to Rio, Amarjit is hopeful of the future. “People have started knowing about the connection between Gurdaspur and judo. Hopefully, some corporate will pump in money.”
****
Both Shingara and Sukhvinder have only seen Avtar on TV or read about him in newspapers. However, they have always yearned to watch their son live, battling on the mat, with a large crowd cheering him on. It was but a distant dream till now. In order to make sure that his parents can watch him during his first Olympic bout, Milaap.Org, India’s largest crowd-funding platform, joined hands with Mother Dairy and Green Bench to raise `8 lakh to fulfil their wish. “We will leave for Rio soon,” Sukhvinder said.
Sports is an unpredictable business. With his family in tow, India’s brightest judo exponent will be battling the odds, hoping for a miracle on the grandest stage of them all.