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New home for Budhia

Staff Reporter

He is entitled to expenses of Rs. 2,250 a month

BHUBANESWAR: After months of tug-of-war over the marathon prodigy Budhia Singh, the Orissa Government has taken the five-year-old boy under its wing, accommodating him in a state-run sports hostel here.

Women and Child Development Department officials on Friday brought him there from Salia Sahi, one of the biggest slums in the State. Age norms — minimum age for boarders is 12 — were relaxed for him. He had sumptuous vegetarian food.

Curbs on visitors

However, curbs were imposed on outsiders interacting with the child. Only his mother, Sunkanti Singh, and a local guardian would be allowed to meet him twice a week.

Director of Sports Narayan Prasad Das said Budhia would undergo tests before he was given training. He would be entitled to expenses of Rs.2,250 a month.

Budhia shot into the limelight when he ran a distance of 65 km from Puri to Bhubaneswar in 2006 summer to enter the Limca Book of Records.

However, the feat triggered controversies with sports physicians and athletes objecting to “overexploitation” of the boy.

A few months ago, Budhia alleged that his coach Biranchi Das was torturing him. Subsequently, his mother urged the government to adopt Budhia.

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