Trinath
Port Blair, Jan 03: It appears that these remote Islands have no dearth of talents. While a good number of sportspersons have already brought laurels for our Islands there are many budding sportspersons, who are waiting for their turn.
Meet Priyanka Das, the 13 year old running sensation of Harinagar Village of Middle Andaman. Priyanka Das has already left her mark in Islands’ sports arena by winning four gold medals in recent State School Games. Out of these four gold medals, three were from individual medals in cross country race 5 Km, 800 mtr and 1500 mtr race while the fourth medal was shared with three others in 4×400 mtr relay race. Her performance was so impressive that the girl was declared as State Champion in Athletics of State School Games.
Adding more feathers to her crown, the little girl of class VIII also bagged the first prize in women section of Billyground Marathon, conducted by NGGO Association recently.
Priyanka’s father Panchanan Das, a resident of Harinagar village is a farmer and often works as DRM in various departments, wherever he gets an opportunity to work.
Though he is very proud of his daughter but is also worried about her future because he has no mean to arrange funds for her future training in athletics.
Villagers of Middle Andaman now urge the Lt. Governor to intervene into this matter and to direct the officials of Sports Authority of India to coach the little wonder for National and International Championships.
It is the responsibility of state to find and provide training to such rare sports talent. But this is unfortunate to note that neither the Department of Sports nor the Department of Education has any Athletic Coach in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Training in Athletic is considered as basic of all sports event as Athletic training helps sportspersons to gain stamina and strength. But in Andaman we don’t have even a single Athletic Coach.
Hope that Lt. Governor, who is himself a sports lover, will look into this matter and arrange an Athletic Coach for the PT Usha of Middle Andaman, as she is called by people of her area. Atleast the girl should be admitted in State Authority of India (SAI) so that she gets a National Level Coach for her trainings.
