New Delhi, Oct 4 (UNI) Defeating all odds, nine tribal girls from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Hockey Academy have made it to the prestigious Hockey India Sub-Junior and Junior National Trial Camp in Chhattisgarh this year.
Four years ago, these girls who are studying at the local Mardapal Kanya Ashram, were selected by the 41st Battalion of ITBP, and they were trained by the hockey coach Head Constable Surya Smit whereas the Force provided all possible basic requirement and equipment for the practice.
Since there is no hockey ground in the area, the ITBP arranged their practice on the local helipad which is only available open space in the area with the minimal resources but best possible training, these girls have become an identity of women empowerment in the District and Bastar region at large.
In 2016, these girls were not even aware how to hold a hockey stick or how to play wearing shoes, three have them have been identified to be tried for national sub junior while six have been selected for trail for junior level at 20 days trail camp in Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, the ITBP spokesman Vivek Pandey told UNI.
The nine girl players are Sevanti Poyam, Tanisha Nag, Sukmati Mandavi, Sukri Mandavi, Sumani Kashyap, Sulochana Netam, Savitri Netam, Sanjini Sodi, and Dhaneswari Korram have been issued with the special permanent Identity Cards by the Hockey India, Mr Pandey said.
More than 50 girls age ranging from eight to 17 years have been trained by the ITBP in the region till now, he added.
All girls are from remote Left Wing Extremism hit areas as many as 35 kilometers deep inside the jungles of Chhattisgarh and are first generation hockey players in their families.
The girls aspire to play international hockey while a member of the group Sulochana said "ITBP did what it can do and still doing the best they can, now we want to play for the country at the national level and hope someday our Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju will take a call to provide us the platform, what we need is better play ground and equipment to practice quality hockey training”.
ITBP coach Surya Smit said ‘This is the first such hockey talent hunt in the reason, these girls can do wonders if given more exposure and better facilities by authorities”.
UNI AKS SHK1735