Harishankar

Jalpaiguri, Dec. 2: Harishankar Roy has come a long way from jumping over bamboo bars for fun.

The 19-year-old from South Dhupjhora, today became the high jump champion at the Junior Commonwealth Games being held at Bondigo University Stadium in Manila, Philippines.

?Harishankar called me up around 2 pm today and gave me the good news. He had promised to better his performance and he lived up to it,? said Biren Roy, his uncle.

As news of homeboy Harishankar?s ?international success? spread, the whole of Lataguri began celebrating. Neighbours and well-wishers streamed into the Roy household to congratulate the proud parents on their son?s second international crown.

Even Mobarak Hossain, the neighbour who receives most of the Roys? phone calls (they do not have a phone at home) had a hard time, and by evening a sore throat, attending the telephone and accepting congratulations from people from all over the district.

Speaking about Harishankar?s performance, Biren said though his 2.13-metre jump was enough to clinch the top spot at the Commonwealth games, Harishankar?s best is better.

He managed to clear the 2.25 metre bar at the Asian All Star Championship in Singapore in September, but his best was only good enough to get him the silver.

Harishankar?s parents had spent most of yesterday and today morning praying for their son?s success and thanking god for answering their prayers after receiving the good news.

?My son began high jumping as a kid by suspending bamboo pole horizontally at waist-level and jumping over them. His pastime soon turned into a passion and he entered regional championships, most of which he won,? said his father, Fuleshwar. ?I am sure my son will make the country proud someday.?

Harishankar was spotted by a trainer of Siliguri Sports Authority of India (SAI) and booked a berth in SAI?s Calcutta training centre by proving his mettle at the national level.

Jalpaiguri District Sports Association ? whose golden jubilee programme is slated to be flagged off on December 8 ? plans to invite Harishankar to the function and felicitate him. ?After his achievement today, we are confident that he will bag a medal in the Olympic Games in 2008,? said association secretary Anjan Sengupta.

?We are trying to bring him to the inauguration of our golden jubilee celebrations and felicitate him for his feat,? he added.