The little man who fueled big dreams in basketball.

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basketball, Chattisgarh, training

“Remember that basketball is a game of habits. If you make the other guy deviate from his habits, you’ve got him” – Bill Russell       

Pursuing a career in sports is not considered feasible, especially for girls, and that too from tribal areas. Parents find it difficult to provide them two square meals a day, because of their socioeconomic status. It is my privilege to present Mr. Rajesh Patel, who dedicated his life to coaching tribal girls from underprivileged backgrounds having a patriarchal setup. He was the head coach of Chattisgarh women’s basketball team. He coached the girls not only to shine in National level competitions but also prepared them to face life bravely.

Being a player of basketball, he joined Bhilai Steel Plant under sports quota in 1979. He was a gold medalist in basketball coaching from the National Institute of Sports. His height of 5′ 5” did not allow him to excel in basketball, but he dedicated his life to coaching and producing champions of the sport. He set up a residential academy on the top floor of his house, where he devoted 16 hours a day in training which he took as his mission. Bhilai Steel Plant provided the pieces of equipment, and Rajesh put his heart and soul in coaching.

The tribal girls who could not imagine going outdoors, secured places in the Indian National team, their lives changed when they got government jobs under the sports(basketball) quota. Anju Lakra -a girl from the scheduled tribe, became a TT in the Indian Railways, under the guidance of Mr. Rajesh. She is barely 5’2”, but Rajesh proved that short height is not a barrier for excelling in basketball. He believed you need only two things to win -speed and defense. “Run and shoot like a bullet,” he would say.

Under his guidance, the Chattisgarh women’s team reached the senior National finals twice defeating the Railways team once. Another girl Seema Singh was knock-kneed and malnourished when she began playing at the tender age of eleven years. She cried when doctors told that she could not play because of weakness. Rajesh provided her regular nutritious meals and extensive training, because of which she got selected for the National team.

He coached thousands of girls, who became ace players and made a change in their lives. He had the credit of achieving many state level and national level awards comprising of Vikram Puraskar, Vishwamitra Puraskar, Veer Hanuman Singh Puraksar, SAIL Best Player Award, National Sports Time Award to name a few. He saw no limitations in anyone, whether height or physique. He instilled confidence in them. In the early days, he would pack ‘chhole, chikki and nimbu paani for children who never were in the habit of breakfast, The training sessions started at 5 am and would continue for eight hours. In spite of his limited means, Rajesh ensured that his players got the best. He even chased the state officials to get all necessary facilities for the girls.

He would uplift their morale by asking them to think about the many girls who cannot afford to play basketball. In April 2018, on his way to Ludhiana for the ongoing junior national championships, Patel suffered a cardiac arrest at Panipat—which proved to be fatal. He was only 62 years old, but the legacy he has left behind is memorable. He was called ‘Dronacharya of basketball’. A biopic is planned to be made on his life which will inspire millions. The movie is conceptualized by Raj Choudhary who co-wrote Gulal and Lara Dutta. A British Director will direct it under an International production house.

If all fathers encouraged their daughters like this!

“Two things in India are religion – one is cricket, and one is movies – these are two things.”-Preity Zinta

When she was young her father had brought a suit with cricket words on it. Some years later, she started playing the game with boy trainees at the college ground. Initially, it was tough as the bats were costly and she could not afford them. But later, she would play for Punjab at a young age and also made her debut for the India while in high school. It is my privilege to present Harmanpreet Kaur (27), who has become the first Indian woman cricket player to be selected to play for Sydney Thunders in the Women’s Big Bash League (BBL), Australia’s domestic T-20 cricket league. She was India’s hero on 20 July 2017 as India beat six-time champions Australia to reach the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup.

Her father Harmander Singh was a club cricketer. She used to watch him play. Though she hails from Moga where women’s cricket wasn’t played, it was her father who encouraged her to play the sport and take it up as a career. She gives the credit of her success to her father. He supported her since the time she picked up a cricket bat.

As a kid, when she saw male cricketers on TV, she silently dreamt of playing the sport. She considers herself lucky that she never faced problems from her family. Everybody supported and encouraged her to do whatever she wanted. She has been playing cricket from the age of six. She didn’t realize that over the years the dream turned into a passion. She is a fitness freak, she exercises every day. She had to stay away from her family when she was very young. She started playing professional cricket at 17 and had to stay away from her mother, which was emotionally taxing.

A young Harmanpreet was spotted by Coach Kamaldeesh Singh Sodhi who would train her at the Guru Nanak Public School, Moga. The cricketer would travel 20 km from her Basant Singh Road residence to Barapur Pind to practice and would later also travel to Ferozepur to play for the district in the Punjab state Championships. A fine performance in 2009 Challenger trophy meant she entered the Indian women’s team for 2009 World T-20 Championships.

“I saw her play in 2006 and got her enrolled in our school team Once she went to play in school nationals and hit six boundaries in an over in a full size ground. Later she would play in Punjab U-19 teams when she was 17. It was our school’s annual function when she got the news of her selection in the Indian team in 2009. And when she hit her first hundred in 2013 against England, the whole village celebrated her success,” shared Sodhi, whose son Yadwinder Singh Sodhi also coached Harmanpreet.

“When she picked up her jersey, she chose the jersey number 84. For Punjabis, 84 brings back the memories of the 1984 riots. But she took it positively and now we also see it as a good sign for her,” said Harmanpreet’s mother Sukhjeet Kaur. “She dedicates all her victories to the victims of the riots.”

Harmanpreeet played an exceptional performance in Indian women’s team campaign in the World T20, scoring 89 runs and claiming seven wickets in four matches. The all-rounder has scored 1,494 runs in 55 ODIs and 992 runs in 61 T-20s apart from claiming 24 wickets in both formats.

Harmanpreet learnt to control her anger and use it in her performance, which has paid dividends. “I learnt that anger is best used for one’s game and not on people,” she emphasized. When asked, what has the sport given you? She replied, “Cricket taught me a lot of things, but the biggest has been to shoulder responsibility I like to give my 100 per cent in whatever I do. The sport has made me the person I am today. It has given me a lot of confidence and instilled love for my country.”

When asked “If you were to rewind the clock and go back a few years, would you still choose to play cricket? ” She replied “Yes. Cricket is my life. My father encouraged me to take up the sport, even though we did not have facilities for women. I used to play with boys. That’s how I became stronger. If not cricket, I could have taken up hockey .It was my dream to wear an India jersey with my name.”

Harmanpreet Kaur would be one of the 17 sportspersons who will be receiving the Arjuna Award from the President of India .“For a sportsperson, any kind of recognition from the government is welcome and it boosts your confidence. Getting Arjuna Award is a dream for any sportsperson,” said Harmanpreet on the sidelines of an event.

“You cannot ignore education since it is a very important part of life, but if we add sports to our daily lives, it helps us keep fit. I don’t know why sport cannot be taken up professionally. There can be a good future in sports if kids are guided properly. Having said that, every person has different personal interests. It is important to teach today’s youth the importance of staying fit. Schools should make sporting activities compulsory. If you start playing as a kid, you understand the importance of sports when you grow up and could consider taking it up as a career” said Harmanpreet signing off.

From gali hockey player to Arjun award winner

“Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction to be successful.” Wayne Gretzky

She is the youngest of four siblings of a muezzin, in a mosque in Durg (Chattisgarh). She used to wake up at 6 am to play hockey. Although she was not good at studies, she never let her passion for hockey take a back seat. “Earning two meals was not an easy task for my family that time. I remember once my mother sold some house items to buy a pair of shoes for me,” she said.

Meet Saba Anjum Karim, who has come a long way from being a popular ‘gali’ hockey player to leading the Indian women hockey squad. She has made a mark for herself, fighting abject poverty to set a benchmark for underprivileged aspirants in sports. Saba, the veteran striker and former captain, has been awarded the prestigious Arjuna award in Delhi by President Pranab Mukherjee on 30 August 2013. The 28-year-old made it to the national squad in 2000 with the U-18 AHF Cup and has never looked back since then. “This has been the most special year so far in my life as I was blessed with a baby a few days back and now getting Arjuna award for hockey. What could be more special for a woman,” Saba said basking in the glory of her well deserved achievements.

                                    Saba Anjum Karim   

The award is given to sports persons who not only have a good performance, consistently for the previous three years at the international level, with excellence for the year in which the award is recommended, but should also have shown qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and a sense of discipline. The award carries a cash prize of Rs five lakhs and a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll. On 1 November, she was honored with Chhattisgarh’s top Gundadhur sports award. The annual award is given to a person who brings honor to state in the field of sports at national and international level. The award is rewarded along with cash prize of Rs 1 Lakh and a citation.

“I never expected to come such a long way as it has been 18 years’ journey with the stick. Getting this award is also an encouraging sign for the budding hockey players from the small state of Chhattisgarh,” she said. Sharing her early times, she said, “In 1994, I picked the hockey stick for the first time seeing some male children, who played in my locality Kelabadi in Durg town and eventually I started playing with them.”. “My father used to tell me that a smooth sea never makes a good mariner and following the same lesson I moved ahead.” During her 13-year-long international career, she scored 92 goals in 200 matches.

Saba came into the limelight as the youngest of all participants in hockey competition when she first played for India in under 18 AHF Cup in 2000. As a right wing forward, she has represented India in many other international tournaments like Asian Games Oct 2002, Asia Cup Feb 2004 Delhi, Commonwealth Games 2002 and 2006, Manchester, Junior World Cup May 2001, Buenos Aires and Australian Test Series and New Zealand Tour.

Recalling her best moments in the game, she said, “I struck six goals including the winning one in the final of Shastri cup 2007 and was awarded player of the tournament.” She consistently maintained her position as a good forward striker and was elevated as skipper of the women’s squad in 2011. But it doesn’t matter much to Saba, who says that it’s an honor to play for the country whether you are leading a side or not.

On the game of hockey, she says, “when you are in contest with a team inside the field, then a fraction of second, an ounce of effort or a moment of indecision can turn the outcome of whole game. The same way hockey progresses in the field.” She is currently away from the field as she has been blessed with a baby recently. However, she often visits local ground ‘Mahamaya’ where she practices with her coach Tanveer Akil.”I cannot leave my obsession for hockey. I visit my home ground where several young girls are learning hockey from Coach Mr Akil. I give them tips whenever I visit there. It makes me happy when they say they wish to become like me and other women sportspersons including Sania Mirza and Saina Nehwal,” Saba said.

Commenting on the performance of women’s hockey squad, she says, “Our team is really doing well which was clearly evident in their performance in the recent world cup. More youngsters are coming in and showing good strength and skills. They can do a lot better if they continue with the same performance,” Anjum said.

She also felt that playing against countries like China, Australia and Argentina makes a side more strong. On her comeback in the team, she says, “I hope I will be on ground in a couple of months. Saba was earlier honoured with Chhattisgarh’s top Gundadhur sports award, besides Shaheed Kausahal Yadav sports award. She is serving as deputy superintendent of police in the state police department.

A driver’s daughter,now an Arjun award winner!

    The daughter of a civilian driver in Infantry School Mhow(MP) used to hear the shots being fired at the nearby Army firing range.She caught a fancy for rifle shooting,but it was not easy for her to reach there.Her father decided to make way for her.While she was studying in seventh grade ,she got an opportunity to participate in the summer camp,as a part of the infantry kids  team .The accuracy of her shots got her a place in the junior team,and she was chosen for one weeks training to hone her shooting skills.
The young girl has now grown up and become a celebrity.Join your hands together for Ms Rajkumari Rathore ,who received the coveted Arjun award from the President on 30 August 2013.The award is given to sports persons who not only have a good performance ,consistently for the previous three years at the international level,with excellence for the year in which the award is recommended,but should also have shown qualities of leadership,sportsmanship, and a sense of discipline.The award carries a cash prize of Rs five lakhs and a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll.It is for the first time that an Academy player from Madhya Pradesh has won the Arjun award.

It has been a long journey from a member of the Infantry kids team to an Arjun award winner in rifle shooting.Hailing from Harsola village near Mhow,where early marriage was prevalent in 1990’s,her relatives and friends ridiculed her and taunted her parents for letting her participate in rifle shooting,which was unheard of for girls.Rajkumari counts Col MS Chauhan as one of her mentors,who encouraged her and counselled her parents not  to get her married early.
The tally of medals earned by Rajkumari is really impressive.She won the gold and silver medals in the Commonwealth games in 2002,bronze medal in the world championship 2002,three silver medals in National games 2011,one gold and a bronze medal in the twelfth Asian games shooting championship Doha,to name just a few.She has participated in three world cup tournaments in London,Milan and Munich.In all she won 104 medals which include 43 gold,32 silver and 29 bronze-a rare feat indeed!
After her marriage in 2007 Rajkumari has now settled down in Dhar (MP) and is a proud mother of a four years old daughter.When asked to give a message for the upcoming sportsmen,she said”don’t heed to people who ridicule you,just have faith in yourself,and remain focused on your goal”
Rajkumari is not  going to rest on her laurels,she has already set her eyes on the next Commonwealth games,Asian games and of course Olympics,for which she is training hard with all her might.There is no doubt that she will realize her dreams.
(The above success story is based on the interview of Ms Rajkumari Rathore by Maj Pradeep Khare)