Kendrapara, June 15: He clinched gold in the recently concluded Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship to bring glory for the nation. Yet he remains unsung and unnoticed. Authorities here blissfully forgot to show courteousness towards champion weightlifter Achyutananda Sahoo, who was not even offered customary welcome on his homecoming.

From Bhubaneswar airport, the gold medallist in the boys’ category of the international event, travelled by a private passenger bus to Kendrapara. As he boarded out of the bus, there were none from the officialdom to greet him on returning victorious. Warmly hugged by close relatives and friends at the local bus stand, he hired an autorickshaw to his native village Manipura in the Derabish Block headquarters of this coastal district.

The 18-year-old, whose parents struggle to make both ends meet, bagged gold medal in the junior 62-kg category at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship held in Apia in Samoa, an island country in Africa.

Sahoo, now undergoing training at the Army Training Sports Institute in Pune, had also clinched gold at the Commonwealth Youth Weightlifting Championship in Cape Town.

Local people have erupted in joy after the success of Sahoo as the teenager has put his native village on the world map.

“The government officials are insensitive. He should have been accorded a hero’s welcome that the upcoming sportsperson richly deserves. But, we have extended hearty greeting to Sahoo on his arrival. Many, including the senior citizens, visited his home to bless the golden boy from the village,” said Ajaya Beberata, a local resident.

“It saddened me. None from the district administration made so much as a courtesy telephone call to greet me for my achievement. I though my feat would be appreciated,” said the disheartened champion.

“I feel quite discouraged by this act of authorities. There are five other weightlifters, who clinched gold at the championship. I am told that the officials of their district had treated the gold medal winners with grace and courteousness. But, that was not to be in my case,” rued Sahoo.

Kendrapara collector Pradipta Kishore Pattnaik, however, said: “We are not at fault for not having received the champion on his homecoming. Sahoo should have informed us about his arrival in Bhubaneswar. The administration was prepared to make necessary arrangement for his travel back to the village. Besides, there was no official communication from the department of sports and youth affairs about the gold medal feat of the Kendrapara boy.”

“We frantically tried to contact Sahoo. But, it was in vain,” said Kendrapara district sports officer Narayan Behera.

The youngster’s official coach from Berhampur sports hostel, Sachidananda Majhi, was all praise for Sahoo as he narrated the success story of the Kendrapara teenager.

“I found the boy hardworking and talented enough to be a good weightlifter. He is a natural and instinctive sportsman. We spotted spark in his weightlifting abilities. Later, the army sports institute for specialised weightlifting training picked him. We are hopeful that he would achieve greater goals in future,” said Majhi.

“I never dreamed that my son would win international events and make us proud. He has bagged gold twice in the international events. I have no words to describe my happiness,” said Bairagi Chandra Sahoo, father of the gold medal winner. He runs a grocery shop at the village.

Sahoo’s mother was also jubilant at her son’s success. “He informed me of his grand success over phone. He was crying with joy as he talked to me,” said the elated mother.