After subsisting on half pay during the initial lockdown period, Kameshwar Das, registrar at a private technology institute, was not paid any salary for July.
But help came from far away, down under, via funds raised in Australia for the Physically Challenged Cricket Association of India (PCCAI).
For those not clued into cricket of the differently abled, Mr. Das is a medium pacer in the Indian team, often compared to former Australian pacer Glenn McGrath for his nagging line, length and ability to take wickets. He is from Pathsala, about 100 km northwest of Guwahati.
The ₹5,000 received from a fund raised by former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh, also helped Assam’s opening batsman Manoj Tanti tide over a difficult phase after a series of lockdowns affected business at his small family tea shop. A student pursuing graduation, he is based in Demow, about 380 km east of Guwahati.
“Something is better than nothing,” Manoj said.
Teammates Abdul Haque from Nalbari, Sanjib Baro from Rangiya and Manoranjan Majhi from Sivasagar echo the sentiments, as do their counterparts from Bihar, Nirbhaya Raj, and Puducherry’s Manimaran.
“Seven of our cricketers were among 100 physically challenged cricketers in India who were provided fiscal relief from the COVID-19 fund. We have shortlisted a few others and the more needy among them will be given first,” said Vikesh Mahto, general secretary of the Differently Abled Cricket Association of Assam.
PCCAI general secretary Ravi Chauhan said the Association’s objective is to provide support to 400 physically challenged cricketers across the country.
“The first goal of helping 100 of our cricketers in these COVID-19 times has been achieved thanks to Mr. Waugh’s initiative and support from his manager Harley Medcalf and NRIs Anand Chukka and Praveen Nalla when resources were fast running out,” he told The Hindu.
There are some 4,000 physically challenged cricketers in India. According to the PCCAI, about 500 of them were identified as those who needed “more support due to their socio-economic backgrounds and their current circumstances, particularly during the pandemic”.
An effort would be made to reach out to most of these cricketers for boosting their morale and getting them back on the field after “the worst is over”, the Association said.