Former national handball player opens restaurant after losing job amid lockdown

National handball player Sweta Bhardwaj, who has trained Indian soldiers in weightlifting, is now running a restaurant to earn a livelihood. She lost her job as a Physical Training (PT) coach during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Meerut: Life of national-level handball player Sweta Bhardwaj turned upside down after the COVID-19 pandemic. She was left unemployed during the COVID-19 lockdown, and now in order to make her ends meet, she is running a restaurant. She lost her job as a Physical Training (PT) coach in a school during the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

At a time when she lost hope, weightlifter Amarnath Tyagi extended her a helping hand. When Sweta thought of ending her life as she was unable to pay her son's school fees, Tyagi gave her a piece of land outside his weightlifting court along with other necessary items free of cost to open a restaurant. Today, Bhardwaj sells snacks, momos and other eatables to make ends meet.

In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, Sweta narrated her experience and shared her journey of ups and downs during the pandemic. She said that she has also trained taekwondo players and has helped many sportspersons to bag the national championship.

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She said, "We were facing economic hardships during the coronavirus-induced lockdown. After my husband's demise, I got the job of PT coach. With meagre salary, we were trying to cope up. But during the time of the pandemic, I lost my job and did not have anything to eat. I was unable to pay for my son's school fees. But then I managed to open a small restaurant."

Sweta offers free food to sportspersons who visit her eatery as she believes that it is her duty to support and help other players.

With no jobs in hands, national handball player opens restaurant

Amarnath Tyagi told ETV Bharat, "Sweta is a national level player and she has trained Indian soldiers and national players in weightlifting. She came to me asking for a job and I became very emotional after listening to her story. Employing a national level player as a staff is an insult to them, hence I offered her to open a restaurant. Apart from a great player, she is a good cook too."

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