— PHOTO: ASHOKE CHAKRABARTY
A NEW PHASE: Budhia Singh and mother on Thursday at the Salia Sahi slum in Bhubaneswar.
Bhubaneswar: After spending weeks in the city’s biggest slum, athletically gifted child Budhia Singh is set to join the State-run sports hostel here on Friday.
Informed sources said his mother Sukanti Singh and many of his supporters plan to make an event out of it when the six-year-old “marathon kid” walks down to the hostel in the Kalinga Stadium complex.
“We are planning a big road show with band parties when Budhia formally goes to settle at the sports hostel … ,” said Basti Surakshya Manch president Anjan Nath.
The Manch has sheltered Budhia and his family members since he separated from his trainer Biranchi Das. “We expect more than 1,000 slum-dwellers to accompany Budhia till the Kalinga Stadium,” Mr. Nath said. He added that Friday would be a memorable day for the people of the Salia Sahi slum that sheltered him.
Official sources said arrangements had been made at the hostel to house Budhia, who set a record by running 65 km from Puri to Bhubaneswar at a stretch last year.
“Two of our officers have been assigned to hand over the child to the Sports Department. The child would henceforth be kept in charge of the Sports Department,” said an official.
Budhia will be one of 127 residents at the hostel. “The existing athletics coaches will train Budhia till further arrangements are made,” Sports Minister Debasish Nayak said. — PTI
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