Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 16 (ANI): On the occasion of Father’s Day on Sunday, weightlifter Ajaydeep Sarang spoke about his father, Budhram Sarang’s role in his sporting journey.
Budhram Sarang dreamed of winning a gold medal for the country in the Olympics, which he could not fulfil. His two sons fulfilled his dream by winning not one but many medals at the national and international levels while facing many difficulties to achieve their goals.
The weightlifter asserted that he has been honoured with the Shahid Rajiv Pandey Award and Veer Gundadhur Award by the Chhattisgarh State government.
“I am a formal international lifter. I have represented India in three international tournaments in which I have won one silver and one bronze. I have participated in more than 20 national championships representing Chhattisgarh state. I have been honoured with the Shahid Rajiv Pandey Award and Veer Gundadhur Award by the Chhattisgarh state government. I have also done a diploma in weightlifting and I give weightlifting training to children for free,” Ajaydeep told ANI.
The weightlifter further stated that he wanted to win a medal in order to make his father proud.
“In 1997, there was a competition in Chennai. My father participated in it. At that time, other players were also present in that championship. Weightlifters were also included. When we went to the national level, we saw the level of this game there. Then we had a goal in mind why didn’t father get a medal in this tournament? Then we thought that we would win. It was in our mind at that time and we thought that we have to win a medal in this and make our father proud,” Ajaydeep added.
In the end, the weightlifter concluded by saying that his father had won medals in weightlifting at the national level three times.
“Our father’s struggle has been behind our progress. Our father has won medals in weightlifting at the national level three times during the rule of Madhya Pradesh. He was awarded the Vikram Award, the highest sports award in the Madhya Pradesh government, in 1993. Father had a dream that if I could not play internationally, then my children should reach the international level and along with the children, I should also teach other children the art of this game so that they can improve their lives through sports. Father started the gymnasium in 2001 and it is running since then. Our father has brought us to this point after a lot of struggle. The condition of our house was not good. Weightlifting requires a lot of nutrition. Father used to give us local nutrition,” Ajaydeep concluded. (ANI)
