MUNDGOD: Eighteen-year-old Akshay Siddi holds a dream in his heart. He has been practicing tirelessly to complete the 100-meter sprint within 11 seconds. This achievement will soon take him to the United Kingdom, where he will train under Olympic-level coaches.
Akshay’s parents, who are farmers, see this as a monumental accomplishment for their son as he chases his dream.
Thanks to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), many Siddi boys and girls can now dream of excelling in sports. Made of Bold Sports Development Program was created by RCB in partnership with non-profit sports organisations, such as the GoSports Foundation and Bridges of Sports Foundation.
Mundgod, also known for its famous Tibetan monasteries, now houses a programme equipped with a hostel, kitchen, trainers, and an indoor gym. Around 25 boys and girls, selected from different parts of the district, are staying and receiving specialized sports training here.
The programme was inaugurated by Rajesh Menon, Vice President and Head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He encouraged the aspiring young athletes to dream big and work towards their goals for India’s sporting progress.
“India has a diverse range of sporting talents. If you travel up north, you find wrestling. The northeastern states excel in boxing. Similarly, when we explored Karnataka, we decided to support the Siddi community by establishing this programme,” Menon told The New Indian Express.
“RCB is providing national-level coaches who regularly visit Mundgod to train the children. In the coming days, we plan to organise sports camps, appoint dieticians, and bring in sports psychologists. These selected children from the Siddi community have exceptional athletic potential, and RCB is committed to nurturing their talent. Already, two sprinters from this programme are undergoing training in the UK,” he added.
Kamala Siddi, a renowned athlete from the Siddi community and currently employed with Indian Railways, is mentoring the training team at Mundgod. Kamala has won several international medals for India and the Railways.
The Siddis are a native tribal community of Karnataka, descended from Southeast Africa. They were brought to India during the Portuguese era. Today, there are around 50,000 Siddis in India, with a majority residing in Uttara Kannada district.
Sixteen-year-old Sushmita Siddi, from Haliyal, has big dreams in track and field events. She is training here for the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. Having practiced for five years, she recently won a state medal in the 4x100 relay.
“I consider Gabrielle Thomas my inspiration, and I aspire to achieve great success in sports. The RCB programme provides us with the best training, and we are thrilled to be under the guidance of skilled coaches,” she said.