Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest |

Rowing

Doing the impossible

Not many Federation officials can match the single-minded dedication of C. P. S. Deo, the battle-scarred veteran president of Rowing Federation of India. For this ex-Army officer, who played a pivotal role in India’s win over Pakistan in the 1971 War ensured that his rowers sustained their level of excellence for a period of five long years in the murky waters of Hussain Sagar Lake.

The RFI president spotted the spark in rowers to excel under trying circumstances and since then his dream has been toto field Indian rowing team in the Beijing Olympics. Now, three rowers – Bajrang Lal (single scull) and Manjeet Singh and Devender Kumar (double sculls) – will represent India in the Games. This by no means is an ordinary achievement considering the indifference of sports administrators, who even threatened to evict the rowers from temporary sheds at the Lake.

For the first time, India will be fielding teams in two rowing events – single and double sculls. “In fact, training on these hard waters makes our job comparatively easier in the international events, which are held in much cleaner water. Having been used to Hussain Sagar Lake, we can expect better timings at such meets,” assert the Olympics-bound rowers. The fact is that CPS Deo even put behind the much-talked about Rowing Academy of Excellence to be set up in Hyderabadand focused on the available resources. And, the results are there for everyone to see.

Bajrang Lal is a gold medallist in the 2005 Asian Rowing championship in Hyderabad, 2007 Asian championship in Korea and qualified for the Olympics with a third place in the Rowing World Cup in Poland. Manjeet Singh is a silver medalist in the 2007 Asian junior championship in Singapore and the 2007 Asian Championship in Korea and qualified for the Beijing Games with his performance in the Asian Olympic qualifying regatta in Shanghai.

Significantly, Deo ensured that the rowers would not be falling short of training by first pooling money to send athree-member Olympic squad to Shanghai for a three-week training before the mega event. With the youngest Dronacharya ever, Ismail Baig complementing the efforts of the RFI chief, the rowers have nothing else to complain but remain focused. “We are not looking at only Beijing Olympics. There is a long-term programme on hand which we have decided to implement. We are grateful to CPS Deo for all the supportconsidering that there are no returns in terms of monetary benefits,” points out the dedicated coach.

V.V.SUBRAHMANYAM

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail