Hockey helps homeless Matunga teenager survive!

Pawan Samantrai is over the moon ever since he got the news of his selection into the Mumbai Schools Sports Association MSSA team for the Hockey India Junior Men Academy National Championship to be held in Bhopal from October 18The homeless teenager who lives with his family under the Kings Circle Bridge in Matunga believes hockey has helped him become a better human being ldquoMere life mein hockey nahi hota toh main bhi baaki ladkon ki tarah tapori ban jaata had it not been for hockey I too would have become a ruffian like most of the boys around me Irsquom thankful to my first coaches Nanu sir Shrungar Raul and Parvez Shaikh sir at Anstrengung United Mumbai an NGO working with slum kidsrdquo Pawan 18 told midday on TuesdayPawanrsquos mother Mamta is employed as a sweeper and works on a contractual basis He too picks up the broom occasionally when hersquos not wielding his hockey stick His meagre income of Rs 5000 per month goes a long way in supporting his family comprising brothers Ravi Babu and sister Shravani who all live on the Matunga footpath His other two siblings elder brother Gaurav and sister Mona are married and live in chawls at Antop Hill and Govandi respectively His youngest sister Shraddha stays with his elder brother Gaurav Money is obviously an issue for Pawan and his familyldquoThe NGO people take care of my educational fees and a few expenses Initially I was studying at a BMC school in Matunga but later my coaches enrolled me in a private school Chhatrapati Shivaji Vidyalaya in Dharavi They have played an important role in my life by ensuring I do not fall into the wrong company My mother has raised all of us singlehandedly after my father Babulal died when I was very young So to help her I started working three years ago The sweeperrsquos job helps me earn Rs 5000 per month and I give it all to my motherrdquo added Pawan who plays as a defender in Team MSSADespite his hardships Pawan ensures he does not miss either his classes or hockey practice sessions He passed his Class XII exams through Model English Night High School amp Jr College in Matunga ldquoI realise that education is very important and thatrsquos why I completed my HSC from a night school as I could not study during the dayrdquo said Pawan who nearly missed the MSSA hockey selections last week after misplacing his hockey stick just before the trialsI did not have a hockey stick while going for selections I borrowed one from one of my friends Ananyardquo said PawanTeen hockey player Pawan Samantrai during a training session at Don Bosco hockey ground in Matunga on Tuesday PICATUL KAMBLEIn the last few years the Don Bosco Oratory program in Matunga has helped many young kids like Pawan get into the sport The slum kids are provided with the opportunity to play at Don Bosco High Schoolrsquos synthetic turf in Matunga where coach Anthony Pinto Tony has ensured that Pawan has been getting the best training over the years ldquoI started playing on the turf around two years ago Tony sir has helped me evolve as a player in the last year or so I want to do well in hockey It is my dream to gift my mother a house and help my family live decently Though I am not ashamed of where I live currently I feel bad to see my family struggling in these circumstances especially my mother and sisterrdquo added PawanThe youngsterrsquos first coach Raul is proud that his ward has earned a spot in the MSSA team through sheer hard work ldquoPawan is among the first batch of street kids we started working with 10 years ago outside Khalsa College in Matunga Today he has made it to the MSSA team on his own merit He has proved to everyone that it doesnrsquot matter where you come from Itrsquos only hard work and talent that counts Pawan was also a key member of our organisation when the COVID19 pandemic was at its peak earlier this year He helped us reach many needy people in his communityrdquo said RaulHaving graduated from the schools hockey system Pawan occasionally honed his clublevel skills at the India Rush Academy in Bandra under Conroy Remedious a Mumbai Customs player But then Covid19 struck and everything shut However for the last two months he has returned to regular training at the academy Remedious who has coached a lot of players at the Bombay Republicans Sports Club admits that had it not been for hockey Pawan would have strayed ldquoCoaches Raul and Sheikh have done a great job in keeping Pawan and many other such boys engaged in sport else who knows what they would have become Street life can be very toughrdquo said Remdious who has gifted Pawan a new stick and also sourced a new pair of hockey shoes for him through former India defender Dhananjay MahadikPawanrsquos hard work and discipline is an example for all the kids at India Rush ldquoPawan walks every day from Bandra Station to our ground at St Andrewrsquos School for practice at 445 pm as he cannot afford the bus or auto fare I give his example to all my players particularly the latecomers most of whom travel either by car or bike or bus On the field too Pawan is very focused Itrsquos just that he likes to dribble a lot and thatrsquos something Irsquove been trying to change so I have put him in defence where he can hone his tackling and ball distribution skills Pawan is still learning but I have no doubt that if he continues in this manner for a few more years he will definitely excel in the sport professionally concluded Remedious MSSA team for Junior NationalsDuane DSouza Sean Gonsalves Aryan Pagare Sunil Natekar Rhythm Mamnia Prathamesh Dhuri Faizuddin Siddique Yashas More Moses Alexander Jay Dhanawade Pawan Samantrai Gavin Pereira Om Rathod Aditya Mhatre Laxmikant Kawale Pankaj Yadav Akash Rai Clyde RodricksHead Coach Stanley ThomasManager Joe MonteiroCheck out all the latest news and updates on IPL 2021