National level champion now sells tea to make living

Sonipat (Haryana) [India], May 11 (ANI): Won seven gold medals for her outstanding performance in powerlifting, still a national level champion has to sell tea to earn her livelihood. This is a dreadful situation of Santosh, who had won several medals at national and state level, but after getting injured in a training session she had to discontinue powerlifting. Santosh, who sells tea with her father and work as a bouncer hopes that someday the government would acknowledge her contribution and she would get a government job. "I was injured while training and had to discontinue powerlifting. The government helped us with Rs. two lakh for the treatment when I got injured. I won many championships. I want the government to give me a job," Santosh told ANI. Father of Santosh, Rajendra Kumar also said that if the government would give her job then he will get her married. "I have always supported my daughter. Never stopped her from following her dreams, but when she got injured then things were not in my hand. The government helped us, but that money was all spent in her treatment. Our situation is not that good. We are urging the government to give her job. Then I will get her married," he added. A similar incident of International Karate player Vandana Suryavanshi came to last light last year. Once a champion, Suryavanshi was reported to be selling tea to make her ends meet. (ANI)