Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 15: Champion rower Shobhini Rajan killed herself yesterday, ending a long wait for a government job and promised rewards.

Twenty-two-year-old Shobhini, national champion in the coxless pair event, was found dead in her house at Chempumpuram in Alappuzha district of Kerala. She is suspected to have poisoned herself.

?It?s a national loss,? said G.S. Nair, a Sports Authority of India (SAI) coach.

Shobhini, who had represented the country in the 2002 Asiad and won medals in about 30 national events, had been promised ?rewards totalling Rs 2.5 lakh? in recognition of her achievements during the past five years.

She was also in the queue for a Kerala government job. But, it seems, there are many like her, waiting.

Her travails mounted, however, when around five months ago, she hurt her back during practice and stopped attending the training sessions at SAI?s water sports centre in Alapuzzha as the injury had not healed.

Shobhini?s family consists of her sickly father C.V. Rajan, mother, who is a farm hand, and two sisters. Rajan had pledged land with a local bank and taken a Rs 50,000 loan to pay for her medical expenses.

?If only the government and the sports council (which has not recognised the sport so far) had shown some consideration, my daughter wouldn?t be dead today. She was our only hope,? he father said.

Even on the day of suicide, another ace rower, K.V. Sajith, had told her on the phone after talks with chief minister Oommen Chandy that the government would come good on its promise shortly.

Shobhini was possibly not convinced.

Nair, her coach since 1997, said the National Rowing Federation had shortlisted her for coaching in Hyderabad, ahead of the Asian senior rowing championship 2005 to be held in the country.

The chief minister, who recently held his mass contact programme in Shobhini?s hometown, recalled that a few rowers had met him, complaining about the neglect of the sport.

All that rowers now get during SAI practice sessions is Rs 50 each. The Kerala sports council has not yet recognised the event, though kayaking and canoeing, which are similar, enjoy its blessing. Its recognition entitles a player to better facilities and higher remuneration.

Opposition leader V.S. Achuthanandan told reporters here today that the government and the sports council were responsible for Shobhini?s death. He wanted the government to compensate the family for her medical expenses and hand it the money due to the rowing champion.

Shobhini?s teammate Jincymol, who won a bronze at the Asian Championship at Yangling, China, in 2001, the first in the country?s rowing history, is also awaiting a government a job.

In Kerala, jobs under the sports quota are on the wait list since 1998.