From begging to bagging medals, this athlete has sprinted a long way
No fancy shoes, no newfangled techniques, and no formal training whatsoever — just plain old-fashioned grit, passion for the sport, and feet that fly off the ground. Meet 14-year-old Chandramma K, the student who has bagged several gold medals in athletics at various inter-school competitions over the last few years, including the first place in 100-metre and 200-metre sprints at the taluk-level in 2015-16.
Defying all odds and ousting competitors from all over Bengaluru who had had proper coaching, she also came in first at the 100-m dash at ‘Gail – The Fastest Indian’ event in 2014. But life was hardly a bed of roses for the little girl.
Chandramma was all of seven years old when she and her younger brother, Narasimha, were rescued from the streets in 2010 — the cops had picked them up for beggary. Taken in by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), the siblings’ parents said they would come back for them, but never did.
The duo was then sent to the care of Annapoorna Charitable Trust in Jnana Ganga Nagar where they were nurtured and educated. But little did the staff know that Chandramma would turn out to be a gifted athlete. Now in class 7 at Balya Vidya Mandir, run by the NGO, she is able to read and write in English and Kannada, and has learnt the basics of operating a computer.
While running is her forte, Chandramma has also won laurels in high-jump and long-jump events, and is a strong team player in kabaddi as well as kho-kho. Though she does not train on a daily basis, she practises intensively a month or so before any major competition is due.
At the end of the day though, Chandramma is like any other growing girl. Her favourite food is chapatti with potato curry, and loves chocolate so much that she has often been caught red-handed stealing it from the fridge!
HIGHLIGHTS
- 14-year-old Chandramma K, has bagged several gold medals in athletics at various inter-school competitions over the last few years
- She also came in first at the 100-m dash at ‘Gail – The Fastest Indian’ event in 2014
- Chandramma was rescued from the streets in 2010, after which she was sent to the care of Annapoorna Charitable Trust
ABOUT THE TRUST
Annapoorna Charitable Trust currently houses 70 boys and girls with separate living quarters, and looks after their education, food, clothing, medical needs, and vocational expenses. It costs Rs 4,500 to fund one child for an entire month. Those interested in donating can contact the NGO at 080-23399359 or walk into their office at #13, MICO Layout, Attiguppe, Vijayanagar, Bengaluru.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bangalore / Prakruti PK, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / June 16th, 2016