Badminton star Rajeev Bagga starts a fundraising page on the net for his sixth Deaflympics gold
Badminton star Rajeev Bagga starts a fundraising page on the net for his sixth Deaflympics goldRecession nearly shuttled out the hopes of former India national badminton champion Rajeev Bagga, who moved to the United Kingdom from Mumbai 10 years ago. Bagga, who was born deaf, now plays for the British team in the Deaflympics (Olympics for the deaf).
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Rajeev Bagga with son Rachit and wife Ritau00a0 pic/NARENDRA DANGIYA |
Bagga will represent the Great Britain Deaf Badminton team at the 2009 Deaflympics in Taiwan this September 5-15. He is going all out to defend his Deaflympics gold medal for the record sixth time. However, the government isn't funding Bagga or the Great Britain team because all the sports funds are going to the Paralympics and the London Olympics to be held in 2012.
With a fund crunch because of recession, for the first time ever, the champ has been forced to raise funds on his own for the Deaflympics. Bagga says, "I have a fund raising page the link to which is:
https://www.justgiving.com/rajeevbagga[1]." Till now, Bagga has received 350 UK pounds (Rs 25,694 approx) while his target is: 3,300 UK pounds (Rs 2,42, 286 approx). Bagga, married and with a son, still has roots in Mumbai with his father living here.
Bagga has been doing well in the sport in Britain. He says, "Attendance at the Deaflympics is considered the pinnacle of a deaf athlete's career." Known as the silent assassin on the court, Bagga is showing the same trait in his fundraising endeavour that makes him a badminton topper perseverance.
