After three sportspersons and two coaches, the upcoming Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will see one more representation from Jharkhand.
Bhola Nath Singh, general secretary of the state wrestling association, has been appointed as the manager of the Indian grappler squad, comprising eight wrestlers and three coaches. A formal letter in this regard from the Wrestling Federation of India reached the state outfit on Thursday.
This will be Singh's second management stint at the Olympics after the 2012 Games in London. While the 2016 Games begin on August 5, Singh will fly to Rio only on August 12 because the wrestling matches are slated from August 16.
"It is both a great opportunity and immense responsibility for me, second time in a row. It is quite a task to look after potential winners, encourage them and offer moral support. Representing one's country in any capacity in the Olympics, which is considered the mother of all sporting events, is always a huge recognition," said Singh, himself a grappler of good merit.
As a manager, Singh's main task would be to take care of every big and small need of the squad and to help wrestlers stay focused. "Last time, there were five players in the squad. This time, there are three more. My role will be that of a team leader and I shall put in my best performance," said the 49-year-old, who besides managing affairs at the Olympics, also has a fair share of experience in representing the country at other international meets.
In 2002 and 2003, Singh had appeared as the chief coach of the Indian wrestling squads at the World Championships in Tehran (Iran) and Moscow(Russia), respectively. In 2010, he was the manager at the Asian Games in Guangzhou (China). Singh is also one of the mentors roped in for the upcoming sports academies in Hotwar. "Experience matters," he said with a hint of pride.
The upcoming Olympics is a double bonanza for Singh who is the president of Hockey Jharkhand as well. "Our Nikki (Nikki Pradhan, a hockey player from Khunti) has made it to Indian team. She is the first female hockey player from Jharkhand to reach the Olympics. So, it is two for joy. It is one of the greatest moments of my life," he said.
The other two sportspersons preparing for the Rio Games are bullseye belles Deepika Kumari and Laxmi Rani Manjhi, both cadets of Tata Archery Academy.
Dharmendra Tiwari and Purnima Mahto from Jharkhand too are going to the Rio Olympics as coaches. Tiwari is chief coach while Purnima is the mentor for girls. The entire squad has reached Rio, said officials in the state archery outfit.
