Once an international player representing India in the under 18 level and even senior national team, Jharkhand’s Sangeet Soren is now forced to work as a brick kiln worker at her village — Bansmuri village in Baghmara block of Dhanbad.

Sangeeta burst onto the scene following successful outing with the under-18 team in in Bhutan and the U19 team in Thailand, both in 2018. Then she was called up in the national side last year but the lockdown and discontinuation of competitive tournaments forced the youngster to go back to working as a labour to support her family.

The 20-year-old has an ailing father who is blind and also has hearing impairment and needs regular medicines. Her elder brother works as a daily labourer but with irregular income she has been forced to work.

“My father Dube Soren is visually challenged, and has hearing impairment and so he cannot earn anymore. My elder brother works at a construction site where labourers do not get paid regularly,” Sangeeta told The Telegraph Online.

“Poor financial condition of my family propelled me to work at the brick kiln of the village,” she added.

The forward, who grew up playing football along with the boys in her village before joining a girl’s football club in Dhanbad, however, does not let her work schedule affect her football as she regularly practises with other girls in the morning.

“Even though it is difficult, I did not lose hope and make it sure to practise every day at the nearby stadium in Dhanbad as football is my passion and I want to live it till my last breathe,” Sangeeta told The New Indian Express.

She also said that during the first lockdown, the local administration had helped her in terms of money, but that could not be the solution, she added. Dhanbad Football Association had arranged foodgrains for her family but this year they have not received any help, compelling her to work.

Sangeeta is really a hardworking and dedicated player who really needs some kind of financial stability to continue her game. In order to promote sports in the state, the government must come forward in their support,” Dhanbad District Football Association Secretary MD Fayyaz Ahmend told TNIE.

Meanwhile, NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to the Jharkhand government, asking it to extend help and support to an international footballer from the state who is working as a labourer in a brick kiln due to financial constraints.

Saying that the condition of football player Sangita Kumari brings embarrassment and shame to the country, Sharma asked the Jharkhand government to address the issue on priority.

In a statement, the National Commission for Women chairperson said the women’s body has come across a Twitter post which said that an international level football player from Jharkhand is working as a labourer in a brick kiln due to financial constraints.

‘ Sangita has not just represented India on an International platform but she has also represented Jharkhand in the world due to her own hardwork and consistency,’ the NCW said.

‘Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to Chief Secretary, Jharkhand asking to extend help and support to Sangita so that she can live her life with dignity and feed her family. A copy of the letter has also been sent to President, All India Football Federation,’ the women’s body said.

(With PTI Inputs)

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India International Footballer Forced to Work as Labourer, NCW Asks Jharkhand Govt to Provide Help

NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to the Jharkhand government, asking it to extend help and support to Sangeeta