Gymnast Sumit cremated with military honours
PRAYAGRAJ: Sangam city bid adieu to former national champion gymnast Someshwar Rana aka Sumit, on Thursday. His mortal remains were cremated with full military honours at Rasoolabad ghat with army and navy personnel led by Lt Commander DKS Rathor offering their tributes.
Four of his fellow gymnasts of the Indian Navy, including Abhijeet Kumar, Mohd Nizaruddin, Mohd Anas and Arik Dey, also attended the last rites.
The 28-year-old gymnast had suffered a fatal injury after falling on his neck during a practice session in Mumbai late Tuesday night.
He was the younger brother of Aditya Singh Rana, also a gymnast, who has represented India in various international events.
Mohammad Rafey, a close friend of Sumit and himself an international medal-winning gymnast, who won the President award in 2021, said on Thursday that the incident happened while Sumit was performing the front salto double, a floor exercise, when he, unfortunately, fell on his neck.
Sumit was preparing for the 2022 Commonwealth Games at INS Hamla when the accident took place, he added.
A resident of Chandpur Salori, Teliarganj, locality of Prayagraj, Sumit was employed with the Indian Navy which he joined in 2014 and was serving as a chief petty officer.
He had clinched the national title with the services team back in 2016.
“Sumit started gymnastics from Prayagraj at the age of four in Khelgaon Public School. He pursued his higher studies at Allahabad University.
For 10 years, he practised and refined his skills at National Sports Academy, Prayagraj.
He was a national champion more than three times in various categories and represented India twice in Asian Championships and World School Games,” Rafey shared.
Her represented India in World School Games, in Doha, Qatar, 2009, and represented the country in junior Asian Gymnastics Championship, in Japan, in 2010.