When the national boxer Abid Khan was found driving an auto and unloading sacks at the grain market for survival, there's one question that many posed themselves; would that ever happen to any Indian cricketer? Clearly, the stories of national-level champions and coaches from unsung sports who have had to auction their medals and struggle for survival are not unheard of. The story of Abid Khan is clearly and unfortunately one such story.
In a video gone viral, courtesy of Youtube Channel Sports Gaon, Abid Khan can be seen displaying his boxing moves with his agile body but unfortunately not in a boxing ring, but against the backdrop of his blue auto.
"For a middle-class man, or the one who hails from a poor family, the biggest curse is that he is poor. And it gets worse if you are a sports lover. Being invested in sports is nothing more than wasting your time and precious years of life," he says. Understandably (and even rightfully) Abid Khan is disillusioned at having pursued something that is not valued or commercially viable. "I have done such good events, have done a diploma too but even after that I did not get a job despite trying so much."
Once upon a time
He says it depends on the sport, the kind of crowd it invites. "In boxing, mostly people from not-so-privileged backgrounds come because you have to take the punches and sometimes get beaten up. It's mostly the elite who go play lawn tennis, golf or cricket."
Life did not pan out as per plans, but he is still grateful for his health and for being alive. There was a time he felt bad but now is quite used to things. "I go through my old certificates and photographs while sitting with kids and get nostalgic and console myself. Time is the most powerful, it never remains the same."
He had been a North Indian boxing champion in 1985 and had even done a coaching diploma from the National Institute Of Sports (NIS) Patiala. Later, he trained five-six regiments of Indian Army, nine para regiments and 67 armored regiments for four to five years.
Life took a turn
There was no reason why life took the turn it did. But it did. Today, to meet the basic needs of his family, he runs an auto and the auto does not belong to him. He drives it for a meager Rs 9500 a month and supplements his income by loading & unloading sacks at the grain market. "When I didn't get any work or decent job despite trying hard and exhausting all my options, eventually I took to driving auto. To feed my family, I had to do something."
He started boxing as a student of S.D. College in Sector 32, Chandigarh, the college where he later graduated from. "I represented Chandigarh at the national level in November 1985 and played well till the year 1992 and 93. I got the coaching diploma in 1988."
His soiled certificates testifying every statement to be true. He recalls his trainers fondly but blames just the fate. "It does hurt me to have reached this level. Everyone has dreams, mine got shattered. I dreamt of producing top-level boxers but it could not be."
Sports are ignored and sportspersons, relegated
Naturally, discouraged by his own plight and by the plight of those around him, he hasn't let his two sons pursue sports. "I went looking for the job of a peon and was told by the principal of my own college that sportspersons are roaming around on the streets dime a dozen."
He was heartbroken and vowed not to let his sons pursue sports. One of his sons after completing Class XII, is working with someone. "I couldn't afford to give further education and he is working." Today he stays in Dhanas, in a colony where he got the house under EWS scheme.
"Chandigarh has no club where boxing is pursued. There are no private options for coaching and whatever little are, they are already filled." Can he be blamed for calling sports a sheer waste of time, and warning the youngsters from not pursuing it? Which is precisely what he does but not before displaying his passion for boxing and a few punches in the air.
A day after his plight was highlighted, unprecedented support poured in for the former boxer. The efforts are on to get him back into mainstream coaching. We hope time does not remain the same for him, again.
