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Rajendra Singh Dhami resorted to a job breaking rocks beneath authorities scheme in his hometown.© AFP
A participant for India’s nationwide wheelchair cricket staff has been pressured into work as a handbook labourer as hundreds of thousands throughout the nation are left jobless by the coronavirus pandemic. Rajendra Singh Dhami beforehand earned a dwelling from prize cash and sponsorship, supplemented by earnings from working as a coach, regardless of wheelchair cricket not being an expert sport in India. But he and hundreds of thousands of others within the South Asian nation had been pressured to surrender their livelihoods and return to their house villages when the nation’s cities went into lockdown. Under strain to supply for his aged mother and father and siblings, Dhami resorted to a job breaking rocks beneath a authorities scheme in his hometown of Raikot in northern Uttarakhand state that guarantees at the very least 100 days of handbook labour a 12 months.
After his plight turned nationwide information, the Indian Olympic Association stepped in with a grant of 50,000 rupees ($670), whereas the state authorities awarded the struggling participant the equal of $270.
“I was about to fly out to Bangalore in March with a team that I was coaching but the lockdown happened and everything came to a halt,” the 34-year-old advised AFP.
“After a while it became difficult to manage things and I had to fall back to manual labour. I am breaking rocks and earn 400 rupees (about $5) per day.”
Dhami was left paralysed within the decrease half of his physique on the age of two however by no means let it cease him having fun with sports activities.
He first received medals on the nationwide degree in shotput and discus earlier than the prolific all-rounder with spectacular batting expertise switched to cricket.
Despite rising to the heights of nationwide competitors, Dhami mentioned he has by no means been ashamed to work onerous off the sphere.
“You have to earn to get two meals a day. It would not have been nice to beg and I believe there is nothing wrong in doing anything that involves hard work,” he mentioned.
But he added that the federal government ought to do extra to assist others left with out work by the pandemic.
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“I have received help, but the heads of our state should realise that it’s not only me but a lot of other sportspersons who are struggling to make ends meet.”
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