Ranchi, Aug 14: From watching kabbadi at a field in Bokaro to becoming a proud member of the Indian women's kabbadi team, which defeated Iran in the first women's World Cup on the sport, is a long, hard journey for 23-year-old Vindhyavasini.
But instead of life becoming easy for her after her feat, she still has to “eke out a living”, she regrets and looks upto Jharkhand government to provide her a job so that she makes a decent living.
After her father died recently, she is finding it increasingly difficult to feed her four younger sisters and mother, she says.
“After we won the final against Iran in March, this year, well-wishers, including government functionaries, trooped in to our residence and promised moon. But now only withered bouquets are left with me, nothing else,” she complains over phone from her Bokaro residence.
She came to limelight in March, this year when India surprised Iran, winning the first Kabbadi World Cup by 25-19 points in Patna.
“I felt happy, when I learnt that my team mates from Haryana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh got prize money or jobs, or both, from their governments. I was also promised money by some persons, but till date I have not received anything,” Vindhyavasini, a graduate, regretted.
Third among five daughters, she lost her father, who had retired from a public sector company, in January this year and his pension dropped to Rs 450 only, she said.
“The meagre pension and whatever left by my father are not sufficient for a family of six. Even if the government gives me a class IV job, I would gladly accept,” she said pointing out that it would help her continue with the sport ahead of the national championship.
