It is raining gold and silver medals for India at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. With pistol king Jitu Rai clinching the gold on Day 5, the overall medal tally for India has reached 26 with 7 gold, 12 silver and 7 bronze. India, as on Day 5, stands at the 7th position.
Boom News looks at some medal winners who, in spite of facing many odds in their careers, emerged winners.
Sanjita Khumukchan
India’s north eastern state of Manipur is shinning and how. After Mary Kom’s success in the Olympics, it’s time for Sanjita Khumukchan to bask in the glory. The 20-year-old Manipuri girl won the gold in 48 kg women’s weightlifting event. Her efforts need special mention as she was making a comeback after a gap of two years due to injury. She also has the distinction of winning the first medal for India in 2014 CWG.
Ganesh Mali
This 21-year-old youngster, who is competing in his first Commonwealth games, won a bronze medal for India in 56 kg men’s weightlifting event. He comes from Kurundwad village of Kolhapur, Maharashtra, and is not from a very financially sound background. Ganesh’s father, Chandrakant Mali, is a daily wage worker, and Ganesh himself worked in the farms on weekends so that he could support his family and could spend some money on his diet and training. He took to the sport in 2006 when he was 12 years old.
Prakash Nanjappa
Prakash, who won a silver medal for the country in the men’s 10-metre air pistol event, suffered a paralytic attack last year during the World Cup in Granada, Spain. Prakash, without giving up hope, fought back and won the medal for India. It is also worth noting that Prakash still uses eye drops to counter dryness in his eye. His is a truly inspirational story!
Santoshi Matsa
19-year-old Santoshi, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, won a bronze medal in 53 kg women’s weightlifting. Santoshi’s father, Satyam Matsa, is a worker in a jute mill, and in spite of his poor financial condition supported her daughter unconditionally to pursue her passion. Santoshi took her weightlifting training in the village itself as she had no money to get trained in bigger cities or better stadiums.
Anisa Sayyed
The achievement of this 33-year-old lady is magnificent and deserves appreciation. She has done the country proud by winning the silver medal in women’s shooting in the 25-metre pistol category. It is the third medal in Commonwealth games for Anisa who had earlier won two gold medals in the 2010 Delhi CWG. Hailing from a lower middle class and conservative Muslim family in Pune, she is now settled in Mewat on the Haryana-Rajasthan border. Anisa’s husband, Mubarak Hussain, is her greatest support.
