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Lakhan with the cheque at Beldih Club on Monday. Picture by Bhola Prasad
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Jharkhand’s sole international cyclist Lakhan Hansda (24) will no longer have to get drenched while practising.
He can now sweat it out indoors at Damodih village in Potka, East Singhbhum.
Lakhan will spend a part of the Rs 50,000 he received from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Jharkhand, on Monday, to buy rollers for indoor practice.
The gifted tribal youth received the cheque from CII (Jharkhand) chairman P.K. Chobe before corporate representatives including CII vice-chairman S.K. Behera and deputy chairman Sudhir Deoras during the annual general meeting at Beldih Club.
Jharkhand Cycling Association (JCA) vice-president Gurdayal Singh, assistant secretary Inderjeet Singh and executive committee members Mangal Singh and Balwinder Singh were also present.
The Telegraph, in its story Cycle in coma, career in question for pedal star (Dec. 10, 2012) had highlighted Lakhan’s plight after he met with an accident while practising on a open road near his village for a national championship.
The report came to the notice of the CII, which decided to resurrect the needy cyclist’s career.
“We believe in promoting rural talents. It’s our agenda,” Chobe, while presenting the cheque to Lakhan, said. He also thanked the media for highlighting Lakhan’s plight.
“We will also sponsor his trip to national-level competitions. We have asked him to approach us before such events,” a CII functionary said.
Thanking the CII for the financial aid, an excited Lakhan said: “Bahut khushi ho rahi hai. Itne bade logon ke samne sammanit hona bahut accha laga. Ab baarish mein abhyas karne me dikkat ka saamna nahin karna padega (I’m very happy. Felt great being honoured before big people. Now I don’t need to worry about rains),” he said.
Besides rollers, he will also buy a tyre tube for his racing cycle. The rollers will come for around Rs 20,000 and the tyre tube for Rs 10,000, he added.
JCA secretary Satbir Singh Sahota, now in Chandigarh, also told The Telegraph over phone that he was grateful to the CII.
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