Disability couldn’t, poverty comes in Rohtak taekwondo champ''s way

Sunit Dhawan
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, February 5

Muskan, a 14-year-old girl from the Ramlila Padao locality in Rohtak town, has proved the old adage that where there is a will, there is a way.

Born with a physical disability in a poor family, her father, who used to work as a daily earner, went missing when she was seven. Her mother works as a cleanliness worker and finds it difficult to make ends meet and support her family. Muskan has two brothers.

The odds notwithstanding, Muskan decided to become a taekwondo player and put in her best efforts.

The Rohtak girl, who has only one hand, has won the gold medal in the Indo-Nepal Championship-2017, silver medal in the International Taekwondo Championship-2018, and gold medal in the 5th National Para Taekwondo Championship 2017-18 organised in Himachal Pradesh.

Apart from participating in para sports, she also competes with able-bodied players in other games.

She practises regularly and works hard to perform well. She trained in a local sports academy before joining another one in Amritsar, Punjab. Thanks to her dedicated efforts and persistent hard work, Muskan has excelled in numerous sporting events at the national as well as international levels at such a young age.

The 14-year-old is unable to pursue her sporting career owing to financial constraints. She has not been able to participate in the World Para Taekwondo Championship being organised in Turkey due to lack of money.

She has sought financial help from the state government to participate in an international sports event slated to be held in Iran soon.

“The government has given the slogan of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’. If they provide me some financial support, I will put in my best efforts to bring laurels to my country and the state,” asserts Muskan.

“She gets up early in the morning and goes for practice. I cannot take proper care of her diet and other requirements as we have limited money. Nonetheless, she strives hard and has brought laurels to the state and the country,” says Neelam, Muskan’s mother.