Once a national athletic champion, now sells sugarcane juice on Fazilka’s streets

FAZILKA: A 22-year-old national-level athletic champion from Punjab, Deepak Kumar, has resorted to selling sugarcane juice on the streets of Fazilka due to a lack of funds and government support.

Despite winning multiple state and national medals, Kumar now operates a sugarcane juice cart outside the mini secretariat in Fazilka to support his family.Kumar has displayed his medals on his roadside cart, drawing attention to his plight. He has won 16 medals in state-level athletic championships across different states and was also a runner-up in a national-level athletic championship."I am a resident of Sabuana village in Fazilka and forced to set up a sugarcane juice cart because despite winning national and state medals, I have not been able to get a job," Kumar said.The athlete has secured first position six times in games organised by the Punjab government in various cities including Ludhiana, Sangrur, and Patiala. Unable to find employment in the sports category despite numerous attempts, Kumar chose to set up his cart specifically outside the mini secretariat."I am pained to hang my winning medals on the cart but it was purposefully done so that the people coming should know that the youth who has set up a juice stall is not an ordinary person but the circumstances have brought him to the road," Kumar stated.

His father, Charanjit, who assists him at the cart, has been supportive of his son's athletic pursuits. The father now helps his son with the business due to his own illness."Bhagwant Mann has been doing great for the sport but we are yet to receive any help from the state government," Charanjit said, adding that his son would not have been selling sugarcane juice if he had received government support.Despite the current circumstances, Kumar remains hopeful about returning to athletics.

His father believes his son will get another opportunity to showcase his talent.The young athlete's story highlights the challenges faced by sportspeople in Punjab who struggle to secure employment despite their achievements.Kumar continues to operate his sugarcane juice cart while displaying his medals, serving as a visible reminder of his athletic accomplishments and current circumstances.