Chandigarh: Former Punjab state-level hockey player Paramjit Kumar is forced to take up a labour jobs in grain Mandi. Paramjit is a resident of Faridkot in Punjab.
He once had hockey in his hand but but now he is forced to bear the weight of rice sacks on his hands and shoulders to raise the family amid apathy of the successive governments.
The situation is that this player gets only Rs 1.25 for loading and unloading 1 sack. Paramjeet loads and unloads 450 sacks daily to support the family. People are also stunned to see it being plastered in the Indian team’s dress.
Paramjit Kumar grew up in Faridkot and received initiation in hockey by coach Baltej Indpal Singh Babbu at Government Bijendra College.
In 2004 Paramjit was selected for the Training Centre of sports authority of India (SAI) at NIS, Patiala, and then in 2007 for the Centre of Excellence for Hockey at NIS, Patiala.
Paramjit was with the Centre before 2009. He played hockey on contract for Punjab Police and Punjab State Electricity Board for three years. During his time in Patiala, Kumar was part of SAI’s combined team in under-16 and under-18 hockey nationals, where the team won a silver medal in the Under-16 Nationals in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
He returned with 2 national medals for the Pepsu team and the Punjab team and was also part of the Indian junior team named for the Junior Asia Cup to be held in Bangladesh in 2007.
The tournament was cancelled due to administrative reasons. Paramjit Kumar played in the Nehru International Tournament with the Indian junior team in Delhi. He now sought government help for a job and financial assistance.