GANDHINAGAR: A few months ago, fencer Udaivir Singh was in Paris, France training at the Levallois Sporting Club under coach Georges Karam unaware of the biggest worry his father, Jaipal Singh, was facing. Jaipal, a former India boxer who had won silver at the 1986 Asian Games, had exhausted all his savings and didn't have money to transfer funds online to his son.
With no options available, Jaipal, who was honoured with the Arjuna Award for his sporting achievements, decided to sell a piece of land he owns in Patiala, Punjab."My monthly expenses here in France including rent, club and coach fees are around Rs 2 lakh. As I have been training in France since 2018, my father's savings were almost over a few months ago so he sold the plot to ensure I do not face any troubles," Udaivir told this daily after winning men's individual epee gold here at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar during the ongoing National Games.
Given the reputed coaches, fencers and infrastructure France has, Udaivir always wanted to train there and the dream came true in 2018 when he stayed there for around four months. He continued the process for next two years training in the country for four months in a year and then coming back. However, in September 2021, he decided to stay there permanently to make rapid strides in the world of fencing.
The decision increased his expenses manifold but also improved him as a fencer significantly as a couple of months ago he, along with Chingakham Singh, Sunil Kumar and Sathasivan Nirmala, created history winning epee team gold at the Commonwealth Championships in London. They beat Scotland fencers 45-44 in a closely contested final.
"France has the best epee coaches and fencers. Training continuously there helped me a lot as earlier I used to be overawed by opponents' reputation. My coach, Georges Karam, sensed it and advised me to work on my mindset. He also made me compete against the best fencers in the club to make sure I gained confidence. These all efforts we took did the trick as now I feel I am totally a different person when I am on the fencing piste (the strip in the playing area where fencers take on each other during the bout)," added Udaivir.
It all started in 2009 when Udaivir was just 13. Despite his father being a boxer of repute, he followed in the footsteps of his cousin to pursue fencing. "My father took me along to watch my cousin in action and the sport fascinated me a lot. Then and there only I decided to pursue it professionally. It was not that I never tried my hands in boxing but fencing was my calling."
Before the National Games gold, Udaivir won a gold each in individual and team events respectively at the Senior National Championships held in March this year. He also became the first male fencer from the country to finish in top 32 at the epee fencing World Cup in Switzerland last year. The next goal is to go a step further in the event scheduled next month in the same country."I will fly out for France on October 8 and prepare there for the World Cup slated next month. I hope this time I can better my previous show," he added.
Given the financial constraints his father is facing, Udaivir is also desperately looking for a government job under sports quota. "It's not easy in Punjab, but I hope this gold at the Games works in my favour. I know I cannot survive like this so I have to find a job as soon as possible," Udaivir signed off.