Blind cricket champ from Tamil Nadu requests govt job

MADURAI:  Returning home with a silver medal from the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) World Games, visually impaired Indian cricket team player S Maharaja has requested Chief Minister MK Stalin to provide him a government job. “Players from Gujarat have received Rs 70,000 each and the certificate verification for their government job has been completed. Similarly, Odisha government has decided to award Rs 2.5 lakh to each player and assured government job to 17 players,” he said.

The Indian men’s visually challenged cricket team had to settle for a silver at the event, being conducted for the first time, after losing to Pakistan in the final. The tournament was held at Edgbaston in Birmingham, United Kingdom, from August 18 to 27. Hailing from Ottapidaram taluk in Thoothukudi district, S Maharaja studied in Thiagarajar Arts and Science College and was one of the key players in the tournament. He had partial vision till he was in Class 3, after which he lost his eyesight fully. Maharaja was selected for the Indian team and became the first person from Tamil Nadu to represent India under the ‘fully blind’ category of B1 when he was in Class 11.  

Speaking to TNIE, the left-arm bowler and batter said his coach John David encouraged him to push through head injuries inflicted during his training in Bengaluru. “Like any other player, we too practice long hours from 5 am to 8 pm. However, we are getting less recognition. I felt very happy when Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised us on Twitter. I should also thank Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi for helping me with Rs 70,000 for going to England,” he added. Maharaja also expressed his happiness over minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s announcement to set up grounds for disabled players at SDAT grounds in all districts.

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