Buli Basumatary's journey: From national champion to street vendor

Chirang, (Assam), Feb. 14 (ANI): Buli Basumatary, a woman who now sells oranges in Assam's Chirang has not only been an Archer at the National level, but has also bagged a Gold medal in the National Senior Archery Championship. She has also won two Gold medals and a Silver medal at the National Sub-Junior Archery Championship. Saddened by the circumstances Buli mentioned that she was denied a job in Assam Police. "I have been selling oranges for three years now. I have won many medals and had applied for a job in Assam Police but didn't get it," Basumatary told ANI. In 2010, engulfed by physical sickness Basumatary had to leave the sport and start selling oranges in order to sustain herself and her family, which includes her daughters, both aged between two and three years. Basumatary's journey from being a national level player to a street vendor highlights the neglect shown by the government when it comes to providing economic and financial support to players who can no longer engage in playing. However in a recent turn of events, Assam Sports Minister Naba Kumar Doley has said that Buli would be appointed as an archery coach next week. "We will appoint Buli Basumatary as an archery coach next week. She will be given short-term training in Punjab later on," said Doley. The archer had arrived at the Sports Authority of India in 2005 and had subsequently won dozens of medals at the national level. (ANI)