Last Updated:
Dhanbad’s international laser run athlete Anu Kumari once won a bronze medal in the World Championship. But today, due to financial constraints, she is earning her living by growing vegetables in the fields. The loan of ₹1.40 lakh taken to go to China is still outstanding. Their training has come to a halt due to lack of a laser gun worth ₹2 lakh. The mother has demanded from the government to repay the loan and provide laser gun.
Dhanbad: Anu Kumari of Balliapur block of Dhanbad district of Jharkhand had brought glory to the country at the international level by winning the bronze medal in the Laser Run World Championship 2024. But today, severe financial constraints have kept this talented player away from the world of sports. This daughter, who has represented the country at the international level, is now doing farming in her field to maintain her fitness and improve the financial condition of the family, and is earning her living by selling the grown vegetables in the market.
Struggle from sports to farming
Anu Kumari’s father Subhash Chandra Mahato, resident of Modidih village, works as a tailor in Pune. Anu’s sports journey started at the age of just 10 from the local ground of the village. His fondness for running showed him the path of athletics, after which he gave laser run trial and got selected for the national competition and won the gold medal in Amravati, Maharashtra. His talent continued to improve and last year, he won a bronze medal in the 3000 meter race at the International Laser Run Championship held in China. She was the only player from Jharkhand to be selected in this competition.
Reached China with loan, loan not repaid even today
There is a long story of struggle hidden behind this achievement of Anu. A total of ₹1.40 lakh was required for travel and other expenses to participate in the competition in China. Due to the weak financial condition of the family, Anu’s father had to take a loan of about ₹70-80 thousand from the bank, and the remaining amount was raised with the help of the village people. The sad thing is that even today that loan has not been fully repaid.
Anu tells that for training at the international level, a laser gun worth ₹ 2 lakh is required, without which her training remains incomplete. Due to lack of this equipment, she is missing out on winning gold medal for the country by participating in big tournaments like Asia Cup.
Making a living by selling vegetables
For the last one year, Class 12 student Anu Kumari has been growing vegetables like sang, coriander, potato, brinjal and onion on the land near her house and selling them in the market to support her studies and her family. Anu’s mother is pleading the government to help in repaying the loan amount and to provide the necessary laser gun for Anu. He says that the government had promised to provide employment and assistance, which was not fulfilled.
This daughter, who dreamed of winning gold for the country in the Olympics, is today forced to toil in the fields due to lack of resources. There is a dire need for government or social support to bring a talent like Anu Kumari back on the international track.
