Bhilai: A coach couple, A. Prakash Rao and Chhaya Prakash Rao have taken the task to make poor children stars in kabaddi. The children who come from extremely poor families and struggle every day to put meals on their tables are taken up by these couples and given enough training so that they qualify for the Khelo India competition.
Free training since 2004
This coach couple of Bhilai has been training these children in a slum area for the last 17 years with the aim of making them competent in the sport of kabaddi. They would train their students in the Sector-1 of Bhilai from 2004-2009. Later, they trained children in Khursipar Zone-2 School from 2209-2019. Ever since 2019, these athletes now practice in the Bal Mandir Ground in Khurshipar.
Due to their coaching, more than 300 players have won many medals in the competitions at the national levels.
* In the year 2018, 6 players were selected in Khelo India.
* In the year 2019, 8 players were selected for Khelo India.
* 3 players were honoured with the Shaheed Pankaj Vikram Award
* 5 players have gone to the India Camp
* 25 players are presently either serving in the police department or doing some government jobs in the other departments.
According to this couple, even though all these children come from really poor families, they have still made their impression upon the country by being star athletes due to their hard work and determination.
Gained inspiration from our own coach
Kabaddi coach Chhaya Prakash Rao says that she was a basketball player at first. "My coach, the late Rajesh Patel, made the lives and careers of many players. I was really inspired by him. It is he who told my husband that I had the potential of becoming a better coach. Since then, we started giving free training to the children of the poor sections of society. We started providing training from the year 2004 and the journey continues," she said.
Also read: Player dies during kabaddi game in Chhattisgarh
'What is the harm in giving these children what God has given to us?'
Coach Chhaya says that children of the rich can go to the most expensive institutes and get trained. They can play those expensive games which take a lot of equipment. But these poor children can neither pay high fees nor can buy the equipment for the games they would like to play. We thought that God had given us more than enough and if we shared a little bit of it with these children, they would surely reach new heights. Anyway, these children are extremely hard working. Perhaps this is the reason why these children are so skilled in those kabaddi rings today.
Prakash Rao has been a national player of Kabaddi
Coach A. Prakash Rao says that all the children they have there are from the poor sections of society. These children train together with his wife and him. These children could not even afford tracksuits or proper shoes. There were many problems in the beginning but when the same children started winning medals, all the problems were overcome.
A labourer's daughter played in 25 nationals after getting coached by the couple
National Kabaddi player, Rizwana Khatoon says that she has played in 25 nationals so far which would have been impossible if she had not been properly trained. Her father is only a labourer, but she says that whatever she is today is only because of her coaches. Being born in a Muslim family, she faced a lot of problems but had the constant support of her teachers. She explained to her family how important the sport was to her. They were also extremely happy when she won her medals.
Kumari Sanjana says that her father works as a balloon seller. Initially, her family members refused to let her play but now are ecstatic about her achievements. She says that every month since the Khel India competition, she gets around 10 thousand rupees.
Also read: Man dies during Kabaddi game in Andhra Pradesh
Expecting cooperation from the government
The coaching couple, who send around 15 to 20 players to the nationals every year, says that if the government provides some support, more and large numbers of players can be prepared for the nationals too. These players can represent their state as well as our country. They say that if the government arranges a ground where they can practice, more children would be inspired to come and get trained.
