The Hindu : Sport : Jyotirmoyee Sikdar still in the fast lane

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Monday, Feb 21, 2005

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Sport - Sports : General

Jyotirmoyee Sikdar still in the fast lane

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, FEB. 20. As an athlete, who did India proud in the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games by winning a golden double in 800m and 1500m, she was adored by thousands of athletics aficionados all across the sub-continent. And a grateful nation was equally quick in recognising her contributions to sport by bestowing the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award the very next year.

Now years later after hanging up her running shoes, the life of Jyotirmoyee Sikdar continues to remain in the fast lane. Especially after having been elected to the Lok Sabha from Krishanagar in Bengal on a CPI(M) ticket in the last general elections in May 2004. The first athlete (not the first sportsperson, though) to be so elected to the august House, the great lady does not hesitate to admit that her current job too is quite demanding.

"As an athlete, I was always on my toes. Training and competing in the various National and international meets. And now, as a Member of Parliament, it is equally demanding and hectic."

In the city, as a member of the Parliament Committee for Human Resource Development, Jyotirmoyee, while reflecting on her new responsibilities, told The Hindu: "In sport, one could walk alone. But in politics, one has to carry so many people along with you. As an athlete, I used to meet a lot of people whose encouragement and kind words were always a great source of strength to me. As an MP, now when they meet me, I try my best to help them. I feel happy that I am able to help them."

Asked about her sudden transformation from a professional athlete to a full-time political worker, Jyotirmoyee looked stumped for a moment before reacting: "An athlete has her place in our society and so does an MP. In both cases, however, one has to deliver."

The 1995 Arjuna awardee also had some good words on Kerala sports. "I have been here before many times. But then, it was always to take part in some competitions. So I never had the time to visit places or see anything. But this time as a member of the Parliament Committee, I got the chance to see the facilities here. In fact, within an hour's drive yesterday, we saw three full-fledged stadiums all having 400m tracks. It also made me very happy to see the encouragement given by the State Government to sports in Kerala. I wish the whole country were like this. All over the country, it is the same for sportspersons -- lack of infrastructure and encouragement. But compared to other States, including my home State, things are far better in Kerala and it is no wonder why Kerala holds that edge over the rest of country in athletics."

Jyotirmoyee, who made it big after emerging as a raw talent from Debagram, a rural village in Burdwan district, also felt that the future of Indian athletics depended upon how the country tapped the talent from the grassroots-level. " We have to have a system in place to tap the talent which is available in plenty in our villages. In this context, I think that the `Operation Gold' scheme being run by the Kerala Sports Council is a worthy example that the rest of the country could emulate. I have learnt the scheme ensures fair selection right from the panchayat level and I think it could do wonders to our sport, if it is adopted by the rest of the country."

The ace middle-distance runner also seemed confident of India winning that elusive Olympic track and field medal in the near future.

"Earlier, it was difficult for us to even win medals in the Asian Games. But now, so many of our athletes have started to perform creditably in these Games and win medals in almost all events. Similarly, things are bound to change, now that our athletes have started to gain places in the Olympic finals and semifinals. So, it is only a question of time before we win an Olympic medal."

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