Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): As many as 75 players of the Madhya Pradesh Kayaking and Canoeing Academy have joined Services, Indian Police and other states due to the state government’s failure to provide jobs to sportspersons.
Recruitment against the sports quota has been done by Madhya Pradesh police only once so far, and that too for post of constables. Unlike other personnel, sports persons recruited as constables are not entitled to promotions.
Services and Central Police Organisations, on the other hand, offer promotions to personnel recruited against sports quotas.
Only Vikram Awardees are provided jobs, and that too as clerks. Para-canoeist Prachi Yadav, a Vikram Awardee, was offered a clerk post but she chose to join the Customs Department for a higher salary.
Himanshu Tandon, who has so far won two gold medals in kayaking in the four-day 36th National Canoe Sprint Senior Championship currently underway on Lower Lake in the city, is from Bhopal and trained at the Madhya Pradesh Kayaking and Canoeing Academy run by the state government. He has won many medals in national and international tournaments.
Himanshu is not playing for Madhya Pradesh in the tournament but represents Services and works for Indian Navy. “Madhya Pradesh Government does not provide jobs to sportspersons. I had no option but to join Navy,” he said.
Himanshu is not alone. Of the 40 athletes from Services participating in the tournament, at least 15 are from Madhya Pradesh and trained in the State Academy. A similar number of players in the Indian Police team are also from the state.
Neetu, a member of the Indian Police team, won gold in 1000 metre canoeing. She is employed with SSB (Seema Suraksha Bal) and posted in Bhopal. Neetu, from Sehore, also trained at the state academy and joined SSB after the state government did not offer her a job.
“It is so demoralising and sad to find that an athlete you have trained for three years suddenly takes up a job in another organisation. You hope they bring medals for the state, but they end up playing against their own team,” a trainer said.
