Financial help has started pouring in for former international cyclist Swaran Singh who is struggling to stay afloat.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) assistant general manager (cricket operations) K.V.P. Rao on Sunday visited Singh’s house in Baridih slum and handed him over Rs 10,000.

Rao, a former Bihar Ranji captain who is in Jamshedpur due to the lockdown, said he was very concerned after reading of Singh’s problems on Telegraph Online.

“It was very painful to read that a former international cyclist was working as a security guard. Though the money I handed over to Singh was not much, it will help somewhat,” Rao said, urging people to come forward and help the former cyclist.

Rao talked with Singh for nearly an hour and assured him of more support in the future.

Singh started facing problems after taking voluntary retirement from Tata Steel (in 1994) where he worked as a senior sports assistant.

The former athlete now lives alone in a rented dingy room at Baridih slum and works as a security guard for the meagre sum of Rs 10,000 per month.

The former cyclist said he badly needed money for the treatment of his elder daughter who is suffering from bone tuberculosis.

“Medicines and some tests are required for my daughter’s treatment. My wife is staying with my daughter at her in-laws’ house in Jamshedpur,” he added.

Singh thanked Rao profusely for his gesture.

“I am very thankful to Rao for coming up with the much-needed help. May the Almighty bless him,” he added.

Former cyclists Prasad Khairnar and his wife Rajeshwari, who represented Jharkhand in the 34th National Games in Ranchi in 2011, have also promised financial aid to Singh. The couple live in Pune and are government employees.

Meanwhile, former cyclists of Jamshedpur are also meeting in Telco on Wednesday to pool in funds before handing the same to Singh, who represented India in the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok.

“We are meeting at the office of Inderjeet Singh, a former Asian Games cyclist and vice-president of Takht Patna Sahib Committee, in Telco soon. We are fully behind our struggling senior,” said Satbir Singh Sahota, a former international cyclist and ex-secretary of the Jharkhand Cycling Association.

He said some former Indian former cyclists settled in Canada have also promised financial aid to Singh.