Nishad Kumar’s solitary battle amid government funding drought

Nishad Kumar spent years chasing glory with scant resources all while enduring a mix of snide comments and ridicule from his seniors at school His relentless quest for recognition was truly inspiringThen three years ago he snagged a silver medal in the menrsquos T46 high jump at the Tokyo Paralympic Games his very first Overnight he went from being the subject of local gossip to the ultimate poster boy of paraathleticsAt just 21 Kumar the pride of Himachal Pradeshrsquos Baduanmdasha quaint little village in Una districtmdashwas suddenly thrust into the upper echelons of society Having been honoured with the Arjuna award Kumar found himself rubbing elbows with politicians industrialists and corporate titans all eager to bask in his reflected glory and celebrate his high jump silver medalIt was a brief glittering moment where his humble origins were momentarily forgotten in a whirlwind of highprofile praise and adulation His silver medalwinning feat was celebrated with the usual fanfare but the promise of a stable government job often dangled as a prize for such achievements remained nothing more than a mirageThe irony is rich here he was celebrated as a national hero and yet the promised security of a government job was as elusive as a unicorn The true reward for Kumarrsquos athletic prowess was the enduring chase for employment amid a backdrop of hollow promises While his silver medal might have shone brightly the prospect of a government job remained a distant dream lost in the haze of bureaucratic indifferenceAlso ReadWe asked Dipa answeredAh but such is the fleeting nature of fame Kumar isnrsquot alone most of Indiarsquos Paralympians are bravely battling their next hurdles each day It is almost endearing how these sports heroes find themselves waging solo struggles as if their previous victories didnrsquot quite merit a little supportldquoBhai is the only successful paraathlete in this state Look at Haryana the kids win laurels for the country and the government takes good care of them They are offered government jobs and receive cash awards too Nishad bhai hasnrsquot been offered either itrsquos been so many days now Last time in Tokyo there was no announcement I donrsquot know if they are going to announce anything at all He participated in Asian Games World Championships now Paralympics but he got nothing Where will the motivation come from Other players ask him why he has still not been offered a job this is very demotivating for an athleterdquo Kumarrsquos sister Rama Devi told MidDayThe Indian government has often assured that it has boosted its spending on both Olympic and Paralympic programmes However this newfound lsquogenerosityrsquo doesnrsquot always reach beyond the elite few like Nishad who already get all the glory Whom to blame The CM Or the Indian government that claims it is doing its best Or his sheer bad luckWhile the top performers enjoy their share of the limelight and resources the rest are left marveling at the trickledown effect that never quite lsquotricklesrsquo downAs Devi puts it it didnrsquot take long for Kumar to return to his precelebrity rhythm a relentless cycle of sweat tears and the neverending quest for funds to compete on the international stage The glamorous gatherings and celebratory toasts only gave way to the harsh reality of fundraising struggles and the daily grind of maintaining peak performanceIsnrsquot it almost poetic how quickly the glitter of fame can dissolve leaving behind the steadfast pursuit of athletic excellence amid the same old financial challengesStill in the absence of government support and with a crippling scarcity of infrastructure Kumar continued He toiled away in search of another Paralympic medal and he succeeded AgainIndia woke up to unbridled jubilation last Monday as the news trickled in that Kumar had secured his second silver at the Paralympics Does this mean he would get what he deserves Nobody knowsBut Rama has not given up yetShe clings to hope with the tenacity of a true champions sibling as if surrendering was never an optionldquoUmeed toh hain There is hoperdquo she signs off