He helped India to Asia Cup win, but no takers for his heroics

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 26

Deaf international cricketer Manish Jain is running from pillar to post to get recognition for his achievements.

Jain, who represents Haryana, hogged the limelight after he scored an unbeaten century to help India beat Bangladesh in the final of the third deaf cricket Asia Cup at the Gymkhana Cricket grounds in Hyderabad.

The championship was held between March 3 and 13. Pertinently, Manish was forced to spend from his own pocket to be a part of the Indian team.

He had earlier also played in the Deaf International Cricket Council Championship at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

Manish is being supported by her mother and has got two sisters who are also hearing impaired.

“We are spending from our own pocket to make his dream true. He plays really well. But his talent is getting wasted due to lack of funds,” said Santosh Jain, Manish’s mother. “We had to also pay from our pocket for his participation in Dubai and Hyderabad events. I am the sole earner in the family and have to also look after two more children,” she added.

Santosh had also approached the Chandigarh Administration and Haryana Sports Department for help, but to no avail. “The UT Sports Department officials told me to approach the Haryana Government. I did that, but with no success. Every time I visit them, they tell me ‘to come later’,” said Santosh. Manish is not even getting help from the local association. Ironically, the deaf sports associations are registered under the society Act and don’t stand valid in terms of affiliation with the state units. As such, players are forced to fend for themselves.

The Director, Sports (Haryana), was unavailable to comment on the issue, but sources in the department maintained that there was no such official provision to sponsor a deaf cricketer representing the state in a non-registered competition.

“We have to check whether the association (organisers) are affiliated as a unit or not. No doubts his achievements are remarkable, but we have to abide by the rules,” said a Haryana Sports Department official.