Neglected and forgotten

PS Randhawa

The recent surprise find Sandip Singh, who finished the 10 km race in 30 minutes, prompted me to write about another athlete discovered in the 70s of the previous century. He was a student from a neighbouring village and joined our school in Kandhala Jattan village in Class 6. He was just about five feet or less and appeared like a malnutrition case on first look. He belonged to the Bazigar community and his family survived on errands done by his father for farmers and occasionally organised gymnastics at the village level where this child also participated. He was no good at studies and struggled to pay his fee. However, he was good at gymnastics and long jump and had a strong will to excel. His father would make him run on sand in the dry bed of a ‘choe’ (a rivulet) that ran near the village. 

As he was in Class 9 he participated in the school games and stood first in the long race at the district level. He then participated at the state level where he stood first. I remember the jubilation in the school on getting a state-level champion. The next were the national-level school games at Quilon in Kerala. Though he was part of the state squad, he needed money to support him which was a big issue for the parents who were unable to afford it. I remember during the morning prayer meeting the Headmaster appealed to everyone to donate whatever they can to send this school athlete to the National School Games in Kerala. Soon the required amount was arranged and he left with the state squad. We all waited for the news which came through soon. He stood first in the long distance race at the national level. Along with his win came an offer for him to join the CRPF which the boy promptly accepted. 

He left the school but continued to shine. He was our national champion athlete, Hari Chand, whose record timing in the 10,000-meter race stood for 30 years or so. He won a gold medal in the 10,000-metre race and a silver medal in the 5,000-metre race in Asian Games. He also ran a marathon at times. He participated in two Olympics Games. He returned to the school to pass his matriculation exam as it was required for his promotion beyond the DSP rank. He always ran barefoot. He earned a number of awards, including the Arjuna Award, but remained humble and never hankered after honours or appointments. He now leads a retired life, almost forgotten by an ungrateful nation.