Delhi: The Haryana government has appointed international wrestler Babita Phogat and Kabaddi player Kavita Devi as deputy directors in its Sports and Youth Affairs Department. In two separate orders issued on July 29 by the principal secretary of the Haryana Government’s Sports and Youth Affairs Department, Babita and Kavita, who had applied to the state government for these posts, were appointed as deputy director (Sports) under the Haryana Outstanding Sportspersons (Recruitment and Conditions of Service) rules, 2018.
As per the orders, both have to join the department within a month. International wrestler Babita Phogat is the daughter of Mahavir Phogat, a noted wrestling coach.
The Phogats became a household name in the country after the success of Hindi film “Dangal’, which is based on the lives of Phogat sisters, all of them wrestlers, and their father who coached them against all odds.
Asked to comment on taking up the new role now, Commonwealth Games medallist Phogat said, “I take it as a responsibility which has been entrusted to me by the government”.
“Being a player, I will work to ensure that players get all the facilities they need, whether it is related to their practice or diet so that they can focus on their game and work,” Phogat said.
Asked in what areas she feels there is scope for further improvement, Phogat said “no matter how much we do, there is always a scope for improving things. As a sports person, I do not want that our players should face the problems that we had to face, be it related to diet, coaches or players’ practice.”
