Does the name Seikh Babu ring a bell? Not likely – unless of course you belong to the sixties generation that saw this ace footballer
weaving his magic on the ground. Today that same man is battling throat cancer and poverty. Though Babu represented Orissa in the Santosh Trophy for decades, the promised job from the sports quota remained elusive, forcing him to open a butcher’s shop. On any given day he could be seen selling meat on the streets of Cuttack, the erstwhile capital of Orissa. Till, that is, the cancer struck. The state government continues to dole out Rs 1,000 to him as monthly pension – though everybody, including the state’s top sports officials, are fully aware that Babu has no other means of supporting himself.
Babu’s is no solitary case, however. Neglect, lack of recognition and financial insecurity are features that have long plagued Orissa’s sports world. Indeed, there is an entire list of sports achievers, both from the past and the present, who have been meted out raw deals. Sashmita Mallick for one… The woman footballer who has represented the country is just now frantically hunting for a job because her sporting career is almost over. The dalit girl hails from Orissa’s Aul region in Kendrapara – the district that has produced over a dozen skilled women footballers. Sashmita’s father Yudhistir Mallik, a plumber by profession, had hoped against hope that his daughter would be rewarded with a government job in return for her services to the state.
Other brilliant sportspersons languishing likewise for want of state assistance are rowing champion Mina Madhuri Topo, woman power lifter Gitarani Sasmal, male power lifter Purna Chandra Bidika, boxer Hrudananda Biswal, footballer Mamali Das and athlete Namita Kabat. Once lauded on the podium for their spectacular on-field achievements, people like them continue to struggle with poverty, hunger and disease. Only cricketers are exempt from this list of neglected greats. Cricket stars like Debashis Mohanty and Siba Sundar Das who represented Team India, and scores of other cricketers, are proud job holders in both the government and corporate sectors. “The government continues to discriminate against non-cricketing sports personalities,” says Bhagyadhar Jagdev, a sports organiser.
weaving his magic on the ground. Today that same man is battling throat cancer and poverty. Though Babu represented Orissa in the Santosh Trophy for decades, the promised job from the sports quota remained elusive, forcing him to open a butcher’s shop. On any given day he could be seen selling meat on the streets of Cuttack, the erstwhile capital of Orissa. Till, that is, the cancer struck. The state government continues to dole out Rs 1,000 to him as monthly pension – though everybody, including the state’s top sports officials, are fully aware that Babu has no other means of supporting himself.Babu’s is no solitary case, however. Neglect, lack of recognition and financial insecurity are features that have long plagued Orissa’s sports world. Indeed, there is an entire list of sports achievers, both from the past and the present, who have been meted out raw deals. Sashmita Mallick for one… The woman footballer who has represented the country is just now frantically hunting for a job because her sporting career is almost over. The dalit girl hails from Orissa’s Aul region in Kendrapara – the district that has produced over a dozen skilled women footballers. Sashmita’s father Yudhistir Mallik, a plumber by profession, had hoped against hope that his daughter would be rewarded with a government job in return for her services to the state.
Other brilliant sportspersons languishing likewise for want of state assistance are rowing champion Mina Madhuri Topo, woman power lifter Gitarani Sasmal, male power lifter Purna Chandra Bidika, boxer Hrudananda Biswal, footballer Mamali Das and athlete Namita Kabat. Once lauded on the podium for their spectacular on-field achievements, people like them continue to struggle with poverty, hunger and disease. Only cricketers are exempt from this list of neglected greats. Cricket stars like Debashis Mohanty and Siba Sundar Das who represented Team India, and scores of other cricketers, are proud job holders in both the government and corporate sectors. “The government continues to discriminate against non-cricketing sports personalities,” says Bhagyadhar Jagdev, a sports organiser.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
No comments:
Post a Comment