Judoka Rajwinder fights against odds

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 16

Jalandhar judoka Rajwinder Kaur is struggling against all odds to win a medal at the upcoming Asian Games in Jakarta.

The 33-year-old, who won the bronze medal in the +78kg weight category of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, is training on her own at the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) Campus in Jalandhar. She is being helped by her husband and coach Kuljinder Singh, who is posted as an assistant judo coach at the PAP Campus.

Rajwinder has got no financial support from the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), Judo Federation of India (JFI), Punjab government and the Jalandhar sports goods industry. The Punjab Police sub-inspector is one of the six judokas selected in the Indian team for the Jakarta Asian Games (August 18-September 2). But till now, no training camp has been organised by SAI or JFI for the selected judokas.

Speaking to The Tribune, Rajwinder said she has raised the issue of the lack of funds with SAI and MYAS many a times, but nothing has come off it. “I do not have a professional coach, physiotherapist and funds to prepare for the Asian Games. Despite all the hurdles, I am determined to win the gold,” said the player, who had won the silver medal in the Commonwealth Championship in 2016.

Kit trouble

Rajwinder had to buy the International Judo Federation-approved kit, worth Rs 9,000, from Pakistan as the kits are not made or sold in India. She had to pay an additional Rs 4,500 as the custom duty to order the backpack number from Hungary, which actually costs Rs 250.

“While the Jalandhar sports goods manufacturers are always ready to sponsor international cricketers, they refuse to offer me any discount,” said Rajwinder, who has consistently won the gold in the All India Police Games since 2013. She has also won the silver medal in the World Police Games in 2015 and 2017. Rajwinder’s case is curious because the other three judokas — Avtar Singh (Punjab), Vijay Kumar Yadav (UP) and Kalpana (ITBP) — are being supported by the government under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). The trio is being trained by a professional coach of an international repute. Another judoka Garima Chaudhary (UP) is being sponsored by Jindal Steel Works. But no such luck for Rajwinder.

“I defeated TOPS-funded judoka Tulika Maan of Delhi in the recently-held trials for the Asian Games, still my name has not been included in the TOPS list,” she rued.

Husband and coach Kuljinder has drawn money from his provident fund to help Rajwinder prepare for the Asian Games. Rajwinder has requested the government to grant funds to her immediately even if that means cancelling her two foreign exposure trips next month.