Poverty compels 28 gold medal winner Indian para shooter to sell chips on footpath

June 24: In a country where cricketers are worshipped as Gods, the same country witnesses with remorse the abject poverty in which other sportsperson are leading their lives. Dilraj Kaur (34), who came to be recognised as first international level para shooters in the 15 years since she started out in the sport in 2005, is dealing with financial hardships. “I started para shooting in 2004 and have so far won 28 gold, 8 silver, and 3 bronze medals on the national level and have played some international games also,” said Kaur.

Dilraj, 34, now sells biscuits and chips along with her mother from a roadside stall near Gandhi Park in Dehradun to make her ends meet. Adding that her father and brother have passed away, Kaur said, “I’ve repeatedly requested government officials to give me job as per my qualification in academics and sports but to no avail.”

She stays in a rented apartment in Dehradun with her mother Gurbeet. “Our financial state is very bad which is the reason why we are being forced to sell biscuits and chips to make ends meet,” she said. “I thought there will be some light in my house because I have won medals for India but maybe that wasn’t to be. When it was the country’s need I was there, but now when I am in need there is no one,” said Kaur.

Kaur has participated in the Taiwan World Games in 2007 and World Games in Croatia in 2015. She won the silver medal at the 2009 World Games in Bengaluru.