Indore Boy, Sunny Jadhav, is marking the city's presence in National Greco-Roman Championship that began on Saturday in Jalandhar. Trudging a tumultuous journey through the course of life, the Khelo India University Games medallist(60 kG) is finally seeing good times after a long battle with fate. From earning a living by cleaning cars and sleeping empty stomach on some days to getting grants from the Sports Ministry itself, the wrestler is eyeing success after a long-troubled path.
Walking to success through tough times
The tough times spiked for Jadhav after he lost his father to a brain haemorrhage in 2017. From ₹ 500-600 a day, the earnings subsided to ₹ 150 for him. While his mother works at a daycare centre, he would take up odd jobs like cleaning cars. The college-going wrestler has seen nights where he had nothing or just biscuits and tea for dinner.
His father, a former national-level wrestler, ran a small Dhaba which was looked after by Jadhav after his demise. Engaged in such odd jobs, he would try to steal some time for his training but his diet has been largely inefficient. He started out as a freestyle wrestler and later moved to Grego-Roman style which was highly beneficial towards reversing his fortune. In the current championship, Jadhav walks in with lots of confidence as he has been awarded a grant of ₹ 2.5 lakhs from the Sports Ministry for training.
Supported by Commonwealth games medallist wrestler Kirpa Shankar
When asked about his plans, he informed that he would first return the amount that he borrowed from others for training and diet. After clearing all loans, he shall use the remaining amount for adding supplements and other requirements to his diet. Jadhav had borrowed an amount of ₹ 60,000 from Commonwealth Games medal-winning wrestler Kirpa Shankar Patel and expressed gratitude for his support and contributions.
A sibling to two elder married sisters and a younger brother, Jadhav wanted to drop out of wrestling after losing his father. It was the motivation that he got from people like Patel that kept him going."If a wrestler is eating roti with onion and could win a silver medal in the nationals, he has to have some talent. Hence, we decided to give him things like supplements or kit whenever it was required," said the national-level coach.
Patel also remarked that given his bad financial condition, Jadhav's ambition for winning medals at national championships lacks consolidated support. Top players generally take protein-rich diets full of eggs, milk and dry fruits, which is required by Jadhav as well.
Jadhav's coach optimistic about his win
Sarwar Mansoori, coach of Jadhav feels that the latest grants shall inspire his ward for the future. He trained Sunny at the Malhar Ashram School, run by the Madhya Pradesh government and adopted by the Sports Authority of India. "On hearing the news of the cash incentive brightened his face. It will be a big motivating factor for Jadhav at the national competition starting. For us, if he wins gold, we will feel he has repaid our money," Mansoori said. The coach is sure that Jadhav, who has to his credit three national-level silver medals, stands a big chance of winning a Gold at the Jalandhar tournament.
-With Inputs from IANS
