Funds may shatter deaf girl’s dream for tennis tourney in UK
PATIALA: A deaf internationallevel player from Patiala Parul Gupta is dreaming of participating in the first World Deaf Tennis Championships to be held in Nottingham in the United Kingdom in July, but financial constraints are turning out to be a challenge for her and her family. She, along with three other Indians, has got a formal invitation from UK-based charity ‘The Tennis Foundation’ to participate in the championship from July 19 onwards.
With the All India Sports Council of the Deaf (AISCD) abdicating its responsibility of supporting the players, Parul’s father Avinash Gupta has been running from pillar to post to arrange funds to fulfil the dream of his daughter. “AISCD has already got a declaration from the players that they would not claim the expenses incurred during their foreign visit for the championship. Thegovernment must step in and provide financial assistance to the players. My daughter is practising very hard for this tournament and I would not let her miss such an
SHE HAS GOT A FORMAL INVITATION FROM UK-BASED CHARITY ‘THE TENNIS FOUNDATION’ TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP FROM JULY 19 ONWARDS
opportunity due to financial constraints. Around ` 5 lakh will be required for her foreign visit and I have been making every possible effort to arrange the required funds,” he said.
, Parul represented India in 22nd Summer Deaflympics held in Bulgaria in August 2013, while she won silver medal in the doubles category during second Open Deaf Youth Tennis Cup held in Hamburg in Germany last year. She also won a gold medal in women’s doubles category in 18th National Games of the Deaf held at Aurangabad in 2013.
Her father, an employee in PSPCL, said that his friends have been assisting him financially to arrange funds for her training.