It’s a bright summer morning. The water level in the Birupa, a tributary of the river Mahanadi, has dropped to an alarming low. The boats and oars, provided to the trainees of the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) Water Sports Centre at Jagatpur, standing by the river near Cuttack, are well past their expiry date. But Pratima Puhana and Pramila Prava Minz are ready for another day at work. They get into the mud because the centre does not have a jetty. The duo wade through to the boat and start their practice. For them, obstacles are a daily routine.
Their hostel, home to hundreds of rowers, including Asiad medalists, is in a state of dilapidation. Though a 100-bed new hostel building has been set up by SAI, it is lying unused because the locals dragged it to the court. Despite winning international medals, many of their fellow-rowers are unable to find better jobs other than police constables but these handicaps have not deterred them. The rowers, especially the women, are still chasing a dream — represent India in the Olympic Games — and they won’t relent no matter what the odds are.
The SAI centre, one of the three in the country that came up under Special Area Games (SAG) scheme in 1993, created history after its trainees Pratima and Pramila became the first women rowers of India to win a medal in the Asian Games. The Odisha duo beat their Indonesian opponents to grab a bronze in the coxless pair event, clocking seven minutes and 47.50 seconds at the Guangzhou Asiad in China on November 19, 2010.
As a kid, Pratima, who belongs to Choudwar, frequented the riverside with her father Sanatan Puhana to see the boats at the SAI centre. And she fell in love with them. “I wanted to touch the boats and row, and told my father about it. He said, when you grow up, come back and join them,” says the 22-year-old.
And she returned in early 2000 to take part in the talent scout. She was refused training because Pratima was short.
She was not one to take a no for an answer and insisted on receiving training even though it meant on a private basis. Coach Jose Jacob reminisces how he would give the little girl extra workload, but she would finish them all, like a true blue disciple. Such was her determination and performance that the SAI centre finally took her as a trainee in 2006.
For Pramila, it was a long journey from the tribal district of Sundargarh’s Kansbahal where she lived with her eight brothers by the dam side. The tribal girl was strong and made it in the talent scout in 2006 and the duo has made the centre proud.
“The Asiad win was a dream come true for us. I told Pramila to row with the best of her strength. She responded beyond my imagination. That is how we won the medal,’’ recalls Pratima.
“During the race, I was just giving my best effort as a rower. But my love and regards for rowing, my country, my state and my coach Jose sir helped me win the medal eventually,’’ reminisces Pramila. Prior to the Asiad medal, rowers of the Jagatpur centre had bagged 12 medals in different continental competitions.
Adage may say that there is always a woman behind the success of a man. But in case of SAI’s Jagatpur Water Sports Centre, it has been a man — coach Jacob — who has done wonders for the women.
A big bearded man, Jacob may resemble a wrestling or a weightlifting coach, but contrary to his physical appearance, he is soft, helpful and dedicated. The achievements of his disciples over the years have proved his worth as a coach.
The centre delivered five national medals within the first seven years of its inception. But after Jacob took charge in 2000, the centre has produced 223 medals, including 14 international and 151 national, in the past 12 years.
As many as 11 rowers, including nine women from this centre, turned international but despite rendering yeomen service, Jacob still remains a contractual coach, drawing a salary of around Rs 16,000 per month, while regular coaches take home Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 without even showing the desired results. “Jose sir is not considered for any recognition in Odisha because he hails from Kerala. But Odisha and SAI should not forget that he has been the man behind all these successes. He should be recommended for the Dronacharya or Dhyan Chand Award,” says a moist-eyed Pratima.
Forget the neglect to the coach, no new boat has been provided to the centre during the past 19 years. Rowers are forced to repair the boats through fibre-welding before resuming their daily training.
“Working under these unsuitable conditions, we have restrained ourselves from making public our future goals. But to be honest we are aiming to show our mettle in the Olympic Games one day. We are confident to achieve it if given the necessary support,’’ says Pratima.
