Sometimes in life, when we end up in tough circumstances, people help us out. You lend a helping hand selflessly from the taxi drivers, whether we left our things behind or the people who send us the lift when our car collapses. Those are our real #UnsungHeroes, who merit our graceful applause.
We’ve all heard of sportsmen at one point or another, particularly those who won glory at Olympic and Asian Games in India. Most are now forced to do small jobs to make a living. We can only imagine how these sportsmen are kept and looked at after the games have finished. It is about time that we give their due respect to these hard-working sportspeople.
Here are some of the secret gems
The Unsung Gems in our period that made the whole nation proud of their accomplishments.
Sita Sahu
Talk of champions who have marked the globe. Sita Sahu is yet another criminally underestimated sportswoman. She proves that it will take you further to remain strong in tough times. Sita earned laurels for the nation like not many others did, a double special Olympic medalist (200 m and the 4×400 meter relays meet, 2011). Born into the family of a market seller in Rewa, Sita’s life was filled with ups and downs, and I have to admit it’s been very tough.
Sita had to return to the sale of Golgappas on her family stall that won her Rs 150-180 a day after her victory in the Olympics. The cash awards she was promised, Sita was not even given. Yet Sita still hopes to get back to athletics.
Contrary to the previous years, Sita is now supported and satisfied with state athletes and coaches’ skills.
Devendra Jhajaria
Devendra will receive the first Gold Paralympic medalist to be awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for Sport. Jhajaria became a very underestimated sportsman in 2004 when he was awarded a gold medal in the javelin (F46 category). The litter shattered the 62.15m world record.
What followed was a hurricane in the whole world. During the 2016 Rio Games, when Jhajaria achieved a distance of 63.97 m, it exceeded its own standards and broke the world record. He received the Paralympic second medal. Thus. He also was a member of the para team in the Asian Games. He wishes to inspire all Paralympic competitors around the world with his victory.
Now the inspiration is made of this material!
Virender Dhankar
In 2004, when Virender Dhankar was an army man and a high Kabaddi player, he lost his right leg. In 2004 he had an injury. Dhankar was interested in the Paralympic games rather than lose faith. He represented India at the 2016 Rio Games at Men’s Javelin Throw. In the world military games, South Korea, he has also received a gold medal. He set a new shot standard of 14,47 m. There. What else? What else? For an uplifting championship, he also earned gold in 2006! Was this guy unable to do anything?
Makhan Singh
The legendary Milkha Singh we all heard about. The player is honored and adored to this day for what he did for the country. Makhan Singh was a competitor in the 1962 Calcutta National Games who defeated Milkha Singh. I bet this truth wasn’t known to any of you! But Makhan Singh’s downward spiral started, much like most sportsmen. That was when, in a miserable crash, he lost his limb.
He worsened his life and died in extreme poverty in 2002. Conditions worsened when his wife had to sell his medals. I have trouble seeing how Makhan Singh has not received due praise for his hard work and determination.
Ashish Kumar
In October 2010, he won Indian medals in gymnastics at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. He was named the most active Indian exercise student in the Commonwealth Games’ history with bronze and silver medals in various gymnastics games.
He created history to become the first-ever gymnast to get a Commonwealth medal in 2010.
In October 2010, he won Indian medals in gymnastics at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. He was named the most active Indian exercise student in the Commonwealth Games’ history with bronze and silver medals in various gymnastics games.
Today not one of the books mentions his name and what he is doing now.
Mariyappan Thangavelu
The Indian Paralympic High Jumper is Mariyappan. He represented India in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in the men’s high jump division T-42. Gold was awarded. He has been the first Indian Gold Medalist since 2004.
The Government of India gave him Padma Shri in 2017. In 2017, he was given the Arjuna Award for his contribution to sports.
Deepa Malik
She was in a wheelchair since 1999 due to a spinal tumor that had been accompanied by three operations and 183 stitches among her shoulder blades. However, she wasn’t prepared to just be idle. She was a battler, so she became the first Indian paralympic woman. In the field of shotput, javelin throw, and other events, it has 54 national medals and 13 foreign medals. In 2012, she won the ArjunaAward for her swimming results.
Pooja Rani
During her youth, she was afflicted with poliomyelitis, but what stopped her in the pursuit of para-sport. She was inclined to hunt, but she preferred archery because of a lack of facilities. In 2016, she earned her first medal at the National Para Archery Tournament, obtained the 5th spot in the Czech Republic World Ranking Tournament, and represented India at the Paralympics.
Farman Basha
He became polio-afflicted at an extremely young age. Still, despite all his difficulty, he managed to work. Eventually, he set a new national record by winning a gold medal in powerlifting of 49 kg. Over the period of 16 years, he has won three Paralympics and received the Arjuna Prize.
