From tribal village to Asian gold: Sprinter Rajitha races toward Olympic dream
Her rise from poverty to the continental stage is a testament to perseverance and the transformative power of opportunity. Born into a family of migrant workers who relocated from Chhattisgarh to Andhra Pradesh four decades ago, Rajitha is the youngest of six siblings. She lost her father, Mariah, when she was just 3-year-old, and was raised by her mother, Bhadramma, under financial constraints.
Her athletic talent came to light at Arrupe High School in Katukapalli, run by the Loyola Integrated Tribal Development Society (LITDS) in Chintoor mandal. It was here that Fr Yesu Ratnam noticed her potential when she was in Class VII. 'She has speed and focus. I saw a spark in her,' he recalled. Encouraged by him, Rajitha began competing in school-level events, winning her first 100m race in 2016.
After school, she pursued Intermediate at CK Junior College, Mangalagiri, and later joined SAAP (Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh) in Nellore in 2018. Trained by coaches Vamsi Kiran and Krishna Mohan, she continued to excel despite challenges such as financial hardship and delay in obtaining caste certificate.
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Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Mohammed Siraj's success story: Mother's daily prayers, visit to late father's grave before tours
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'Apne abbu se bahot pyar karta hai [Siraj loves his father dearly]. And his father loved him just as much — he would have done anything for him. My prayers are always with Siraj. May Allah bless my bachha with success in everything,' his mother Shabana Begum told by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo . Shabana never misses a match when Siraj is playing. She watched every game of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, clapping, cheering, and offering five prayers every day. In Islam, these daily prayers happen at dawn (Fajr), noon (Dhuhr), afternoon (Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and night (Isha). She didn't miss a single one during the England tour. Her prayers seemed to be with him throughout. Siraj played a key role in India's dramatic win in the fifth Test at The Oval, helping level the series 2-2. Mohammed Siraj won the Player of the Match at The Oval in the fifth Test between England and India. 'Ammi always prays for bhai. There's a lot of power in a mother's prayer. I believe it's because of both our parents' blessings that he's in a good space and doing well for India. He video calls Ammi every day to get her blessings. She always tells him, 'Hamesha tarakki kar, naam roshan kar' (Keep growing, make us proud),' said his brother, Mohammed Ismail . Ismail added, 'Abbu used to say, 'Beta, ek din tujhe bahut naam kamana hai. India ke liye khelna hai.' When he passed away during the Australia tour, Siraj was shattered. But Ammi told him, 'Jo ho gaya, so ho gaya. Ab game pe dhyan do (What's done is done, now focus on your game).'' Siraj was in Australia when Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri gave him the heartbreaking news. Emotionally broken, Siraj found strength through his teammates and responded by becoming India's highest wicket-taker in the series, claiming 13 wickets in three Tests, including a five-wicket haul — a tribute to the man who believed in him the most. SIRAJ - A WORKHORSE Where the focus had been on Jasprit Bumrah's workload management and fact that he would play three Tests, Mohammed Siraj largely flew under the radar in that department. Since 2020, Siraj is the player with most matches played for India - more than Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Shubman Gill, R Ashwin and even Bumrah. As Bumrah played three Tests, as planned, Siraj bowled his heart out, regularly hitting the right areas, troubling batters, beating batters, getting edges, close LBW calls, illicited "ohhs" and "aaahs" from the crowd, and, as the fifth Test was evidence, kept the fans on the edge of their seats. Siraj bowled 1113 balls (185.3 overs) in the series – the most by any bowler. 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"Siraj is a different player now. After not being picked in the ICC Champions Trophy, Siraj was upset. Really upset. He was heartbroken. But he became a different person. He started practicing more and more. There was some hard training and a strict regime involved then. Now, the results are in front of us. That gap between the Champions Trophy and the IPL gave him a lot of time to train both mentally and physically. That period did him a lot of good. He then played the IPL and performed well, and now in England, he is the highest wicket-taker," the brother said. BIG RONALDO FAN After India's thrilling win at The Oval, Siraj revealed that on the morning of the match, he downloaded a picture of football star Cristiano Ronaldo. The image had the word 'Believe' written on it — and that single word became Siraj's source of motivation as he went on to play a key role in India's historic win. Siraj's admiration for Ronaldo is no secret. Taking a wicket and celebrating with Ronaldo's iconic 'Siuuu' celebration has become his trademark. 'He has big posters of Ronaldo in his room. We live in a penthouse, and he's even built a mini-theatre there where he watches Ronaldo's matches. He never misses a single one. All we hear is his cheering and shouting whenever Ronaldo is playing,' Siraj's brother Ismail signed off. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
India Gazette
05-06-2025
- India Gazette
Naik Amit Kumar of Indian Amry shines at Asian Rowing Indoor Championship 2025
Kohima, (Nagaland) [India] June 5 (ANI): In a remarkable display of grit, determination and sporting excellence, Naik Amit Kumar of the Indian Army clinched two prestigious medals at the Asian Rowing Indoor Championship - 2025 held in Pattaya, Thailand, according to a release from PRO Ministry of Defence. Representing the country on the international stage, Nk Amit secured a Silver Medal in the Single Scull 2000m event and a Bronze Medal in the Single Scull 500m event, earning accolades and admiration from across the sporting and defence communities. Naik Amit Kumar's achievement underscores the nurturing of talent and promoting excellence in sports among its ranks. Trained as a soldier and a high-performance athlete, his rigorous preparation, discipline, and mental fortitude were evident in his stellar performance at the continental championship. The Asian Rowing Indoor Championship is a prestigious event that brings together top rowers from across Asia, competing in a test of endurance, speed, and skill. Naik Amit's success at such a competitive platform reflects not only personal triumph but also the growing footprint of India and its armed forces in the field of international sports. His performance is a shining example of how soldiers continue to bring glory to the nation both in service and in sports arenas. Earlier in month, Indian athletes fought hard in the 26th Asian Athletics Championships in the South Korean City of Gumi. The Indian athletes swelled the overall medal tally to 24 and finished in second place behind China. Eight of the 24 medals were gold, 10 silver, and six bronze. China topped the table chart with 26 medals, including 15 gold, eight silver and three bronze medals. All eyes on the final day of the continental competition were on the men's javelin throw. Sachin Yadav, on his international debut, recorded a personal and season best of 85.16m to win the silver medal behind Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem (86.40m). (ANI)
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Time of India
Despite fever, state's sprinter bags bronze & sets national record
Raipur: Battling fever, cough, and cold, 21-year-old Animesh Kujur, a 200m sprinter from Ghuitangar village of Kunkuri tehsil in Jashpur district, clinched a bronze medal at the 26th Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea. Part of the Indian contingent, he made history by completing his race in 20.32 seconds, setting a new national record. Kujur is the second Indian to win a medal at the continental event, an achievement that has brought immense pride to his family and the entire state of Chhattisgarh. Kujur's record-setting time secured him the bronze. Japan's Towa Uzawa won the gold medal in 20.12 seconds, while Saudi Arabia's Abdul Atafi claimed silver in 20.31 seconds. Kujur expressed his happiness after the win. "The start was not good. Good curve running enabled me to win a medal at the Asian meet," he said. Kujur improved his personal best with this performance. His previous best was 20.40 seconds, recorded at the Federation Cup in Kochi in April. With this run, he broke Amlan Borgohain's previous national mark of 20.52 seconds. Athletic coach Dinesh Tandhi told TOI he spotted Animesh in a state athletic championship and invited him to join after observing his talent. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "I wanted to polish his talent. He underwent rigorous training for a period of one year in 2021," Tandi said. The coach also revealed that Kujur battled cough, cold, and fever a day before the competition. "Even though he overcame cough and cold, fever was a bit there when he arrived at the competition," Tandi added. Chhattisgarh athletics association president Mahendra Ahuja and others have congratulated Kujur on his achievement.
