Delhi University recently earned itself the reputation of being the only university in the country to send the maximum number of participants to the Rio Olympics this year. But it’s not just the Olympics where it is sending students.
The Olympics is the biggest dream of any qualified sportsperson and the ultimate stage where they get a chance to prove themselves. Apurvi Chandela, who has qualified for the women’s 10m air rifle, Lalit Mathur, who has qualified for the men’s 4x400m relay and Manika Batra, who has qualified for the women’s singles at Table Tennis are getting a chance to play in the biggest and the most glamorous competition of their lives. Batra is at the top of the table tennis rankings in India, Apurvi has already won a gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glassgow and Mathur has already made his bollywood debut as Farhan Akhtar’s body double in the movie Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.
However, it’s not just the Olympics where DU kids will lock horns with international talent. Sharad Kumar, a graduate from Kirori Mal College is all set to compete in the Rio Paralympics. He was banned in 2012 for allegedly taking steroids during the Malaysian open Para Athletics Championship but proved himself after winning the gold medal at the 2014 Para Asian Games at Incheon. He also broke a 12 year old record in the men’s high jump category. The 22 year old has proved himself worthy of the 2016 Paralympics. But it is disheartening to know that even after winning the gold, he was not given any recognition. Despite every medalist being given tonnes of special facilities by the government, Sharad did not receive any. This reflects the sad state of affairs in India where athletes are expected to give their all for the country but the government still fails to give them their due rewards. An athlete like Sharad should get the recognition he deserves and it is something he has definitely earned again this time.
We wish him all the best for the Paralympics!
Image credits: thesalute.in
Inputs from news18.com
Arindam Goswami
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