Jodhpur:Offpsing of Hindus who fled Pakistan are preparing day and night to compete in Karate. In a bid to join the mainstream, the children including girls, are trying to acquire Indian citizenship by applying for Aadhaar cards based on their long-term visas.
Residing in Gangana of Jodhpur, these displaced people say nurturing their dream to pursue karate was difficult in Pakistan. Dilip Kumar (21), who came to India in 2013 said while studying in Pakistan, he could not even think of learning sports due to lack of facility. His interest grew after watching martial arts on social media. After this, he got in touch with coach Bharat Pannu through an organisation.
Arti (13) has a similar tale to tell. Born in Pakistan, she came to Jodhpur at the age of three. "When I came here, there was no place to live and eat. My father started driving a taxi for our survival," she said.
Coach Bharat Pannu shows a stunt to the trainees (ETV Bharat) Not only Arti, but Anjani, Mamta, Naina, Meena, Bhuri and Reshma are participating in the karate competition in Jaipur for which Pannu is preparing them free of cost. Dilip and Arti, who recently got citizenship through CAA, dream of participating in the national-level competition.
Pannu, a blackbelt and an army trainer, said, "I decided to provide free coaching to these children. They have been practising hard three hours a day for three months. A total of 40 children including 15 children of Pakistani refugees will take part in the karate competition in Jaipur on January 25-26. The qualifier was held in Jodhpur in December. I wish them all the best and hope they turn out medallists."
Also Read:
- Adopt A Village: Non-Residents Embrace Uttarakhand Villages To Boost Rural Development
- Kashmir Train Inauguration Nears: High Speed Trial Run Conducted On Katra-Banihal Stretch Of USBRL
