Despite being the only player from Punjab, who got selected in India’s blind cricket team that won the Blind Cricket World Cup in South Africa in 2014 and the England World Cup in 2015, his achievements and efforts never got recognised.
At present, Tejinder Pal Singh, a resident of Guru Nanak Pura (35), here, says he does not even have money to buy a bat of his own. Moreover, both the lackadaisical attitude of the sports department and government’s apathy has forced him to quit the game.
According to Tejinder, in September, after a news regarding his poor financial condition appeared in a English Daily, he was approached by the local sports department and the formalities related to release of his cash prize was done, however, it’s been over two months that nothing concrete has been done.
He said though his counterparts in states such as Haryana and Delhi got Rs25 lakh to Rs50 lakh each along with government jobs, he was still awaiting help from the Punjab Government.
“I belong to a poor family and after losing my eyesight, making a career in sports was the only option left with me to support my family and make them proud, but it seems even after proving my mettle in the world of cricket, I failed as a son and I’m not able to financially help my father.”
Sharing the plight of blind cricketers in the state, Tejinder said that the biggest challenge for players like him is that it is really difficult for them to carry forward the game, when there was no governing body for the blind in the state.
“During every international tournament, instead of concentrating on my practice sessions, I had to spend time knocking at the doors of various industrialists and politicians to sponsor my kits and my air tickets. It was only due to the NRIs, among other persons, who sponsored my air tickets that I could play in the Cricket World Cup,” he said.
He said though the sports department claims of various achievements and that funds worth crores being spent to aid the players and on sports infrastructure, however, the reality is something different. “Since last two months, I have been making calls to the sports department requesting them to hand me my cash prize, but all I get is a next date to visit or call”, he said.
Meanwhile, Sports Department Director, DPS Kharbanda, said, there has been some demand from Tejinder related to the job particularly appointing him as coach, which we are working on. However, about his cash prize, the sports director, said the formalities related to that have been done. “Within three to four days, his cash prize according to the old sports policy would be released”, he added.