KENDRAPARA: Pratima Puhana would cross the Birupa river and Pattamundai canal easily by rowing a small boat as a child. On Friday, the Orissa duo of Pratima and Pramila Prava Minz created rowing history for India by winning a bronze medal in women’s 2,000-metre coxless pair event at the 16th Asian Games at Guangzhou. By clocking seven minutes and 47.50 seconds, the Orissa girls brought laurels for the country at the Asian Games. China won the gold while Kazakhstan claimed the silver in the event.
Youngest daughter of farmer Sanatan Puhana and Sanjukta Puhana, Pratima hails from Padabara village of Jagatpur, Cuttack. Her partner Pramila belongs to Kansbahal in Sundargarh district.
“Pratima has been perfect in rowing and swimming since childhood. Her determination has helped her realise her dream. On Thursday, she told me over phone to pray in the village temple for her victory,” revealed Sanjukta, the proud mother of Pratima.
But what makes Pratima so special? “It is her ability to have a good start, her boldness and confidence that makes her a cut above the rest. Her big match temperament also helps,” said coach Jose Jacob.
Pratima’s talent came to limelight in 2005 when she joined the rowing training centre at Jagatpur. Since then, Pratima has garnered 35 medals, including 20 gold, in different national and international events.
“It was a dream come true for me when my daughter won the medal in the Asian Games,” admitted Satantan, Pratima’s father. He was happy that poverty did not deter Pratima from achieving excellence in sports. “We are always short of money, but whenever she needed anything, we cut into our domestic expenditure,” said the father. On their hardship, Sanatan said, “I have only an acre of cultivable land and cultivate two more acres on share basis to eke out a living. I sold my land two years back to bear the marriage expenditure of one of my daughters.” Twenty-year-old Pratima, who cleared her HSC examination in Baghusuni High School near Jajpur three years ago, has been staying in the sports hostel at Jagatapur and practices four to five hours everyday to improve her rowing skill and physical fitness. “She scripted her success mainly by dint of hard work,” confessed her coach. Pratima’s partner Pramila, a tribal girl, too has been winning laurels for the State and the country for many years. So far, she has secured 20 medals, including 15 gold, four silver and one bronze.