KOZHIKODE: From the mountainous terrain of Balussery in north Kerala to the still waters of Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad, D B Rathish has rowed his way uphill through troubled waters.
He, along with fellow Malayali M T Binu and chief coach Ismail Baig were the propelling force in the national rowing team's recent success.
However, the scintillating performance of the Indian rowers at the recently concluded Guangzhou Asiad, where they scripted history by winning five medals, including a gold, Rathish has been letdown by the lack of promotion for the sport, even in Kerala, which has produced several talented rowers including Arjuna awardee Jenil Krishnan.
"Rowing is one sport which demands utmost dedication and hard work. There is no instant fame in it, initial years will always be tough," said Rathish, who had come down to his hometown for a few weeks after the Asiad. Do you think the success at the Asian Games has opened up the course for youngsters? The reply was instant, no.
"Trust me, despite rowing being part of our lives, at least in the southern districts, there is hardly any interest shown by youngsters, especially boys. When I joined the Sports Authority of India rowing camp at Alappuzha in 199293, we had a great team, including myself, Jenil and Saji Thomas. A back injury forced me to give up rowing in 2005 but, look at Saji and Jenil. They are veterans who have dedicated their lives for the sport," Rathish said.
The 32yearold who is employed with the Indian Army believes that rowing is a sport that has the potential of bringing unsung laurels for the country despite being one of the most neglected event.
"It is quite sad to learn the extent of pragmatism in our youngsters. I handpicked a few talented lads from Kodencherry in Kozhikode and took them to the MEG in Bangalore, but none of them wanted to stick, they all gave up after getting a job in the Army. On the contrary Manipuris are very eager to take up rowing seriously. I am certain that their dedication will fetch us a medal at the Olympics, if not in 2012, but definitely in 2016," Rathish said.
On Wednesday, the humble oarsman was in the city to fulfil one of his dreams, owning a car. "I am going to buy a car, it was a long time dream and now I am going to live it. I am happy that rowing has given me a decent life."
Rathish's journey in life from obscurity to contentment is as simple as the saying 'there is no gain without pain'.
