Malkhamb master sparks rural renaissance in Rewari village
A silent revolution is underway at Jaliawas village in Rewari district. In the past few years, the village has emerged as a hub of traditional Indian sports such as malkhamb, yoga and lathi training (self-defence).
Dozens of children from Jaliawas as well as neighbouring villages throng Government Model Sanskriti School in the village every morning and evening, where they learn the said traditional sports.
Sita Ram Arya
The man behind the mission — Sita Ram Arya — is an unsung hero who devotes his time and efforts on a regular basis to train the children and he has been doing it for several years.
Seeing the dedication of the village children and their trainer, Haryana Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam has announced that a sports nursery would be established at the village school.
A native of Narnaul, Arya, at present, works as a store assistant with a private company in the Bawal area of Rewari district and provides free-of-cost coaching to the schoolchildren on a regular basis.
“I got training in the conventional sports of malkhamb, yoga and lathi chalana, and enjoyed the experience. Hence, I started training youngsters in the said sports,” says Arya, who has become a household name in the area.
Prior to this, the malkhamb master has trained hundreds of schoolchildren as well as other residents of the Manesar area for nearly a decade while he was working there.
But how does he manage his own job as well as the training assignment? Arya maintains that he trains the students early in the morning before he leaves for his work, and in the evening after he returns from his workplace.
“It re-energises me and keeps me fit, and seeing my students do well gives me immense satisfaction, which is beyond any award or reward,” says the trainer, who does not get any financial or other support from his trainees or the government.
And why does he not charge any fee from his trainees? “I do it for happiness, not for money. Moreover, my trainees come from underprivileged families, so I don’ feel like taking money from them. But the pleasure I get out of it is immeasurable,” states Arya.
Arya’s students made him proud as they won a silver medal in the U-11 category of the State-Level School Yoga Championship last year.
His trainees exhibited their talent in Malkhamb on this Republic day before the Haryana Sports Minister, who promptly announced that a sports nursery would be established at their school from the next session.
“The modalities for setting up the sports nursery are being worked out. A proposal has been sent to the authorities concerned for their perusal and approval. We wish that Arya’s efforts bear fruit and our students get a sports nursery to nurture their talent,” says Laxmi Narayan, a teacher at the government school in the village.
School in-charge Rajesh Sharma also lauded the efforts of the sports trainer who was doing yeoman service.
Mridul Ashray, a local NGO, recently noticed Arya’s self-less training programme and came forward to help the young athletes by distributing sports kits among them under guidance of Rewari Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Meena, who was also impressed with the athletic skills of Arya’s trainees.
“Thanks to the efforts of coach Arya, the school authorities and the district administration, Jaliawas village has made its presence felt in the realm of traditional Indian sports,” states Devender Rustagi, the convener of the NGO.
