INDIA’S TOP SHOT PUTTER INDERJEET CRIES FOR ATTENTION
Despite the loss of his father, who had always encouraged him to become an athlete, Inderjeet continued to work hard and earned laurels for the country.
On the eve of leaving for Bangkok to represent India in the Asian Grand Prix Games, Inderjeet Singh reveals he has just Rs 2,000 in his bank account. Such is the plight of India’s top shot putter, who recently won the gold at the Asian Athletics Championship held in Wuhan, China.
Inderjeet, the first Indian to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics, is a native of Shahid Bhagat Singh Village in Punjab, but represents Haryana at national events. His family later moved to Bhopal where his father worked with Northern Coalfields limited. In 2007, Inderjeet lost his father, who had always encouraged him to become an athlete. Despite the heart-rending loss, Inderjeet continued to work hard and earned laurels for the country.
He won silver at the 2013 World University Games and a bronze medal last year in the Asian Games held at Incheon, South Korea. Apart from these he has several national level medals to his name. This year alone he has made two record-breaking throws at the National Games(20.14 m) and Federation Cup( 20.65 m).
Despite being India’s best shot putter, Inderjeet feels hurt at the fact that he has to ask his family, friends and relatives for money to continue his training. “I get some funds from Anglian Medal Hunt( a sports management company). I know they are trying their best to support me, but the funds are not enough. I have to ask people for help,” Inderjeet told The Sunday Guardian.
Inderjeet had received Rs 6-lakh from the central government for his 2014 Asian Games medal. However, Inderjeet explains that the money lasted him only six months, due to high training expenditure. “It took me 12 years of training to win an Asian Games medal. You don’t win medals at the international level with just a few years’ effort,” he says
Inderjeet does not have a professional team of support staff, unlike foreign athletes. “I know how things work. I don’t have a massage therapist or a physiotherapist. It’s me and my coach who manage everything,” he says.
Currently unemployed, Inderjeet, requires a good job to sustain his training expenses. He says he doesn’t want to waste his time in approaching politicians to seek a job, instead wants to utilise his time in preparing for the Olympics.
“I am happy that I could win gold at the Asian Athletics, but I’m not satisfied with my performance. To win an Olympic medal, I have to breach the 21 m barrier. I am working on it.”