By Francis P. Barclay
Forty-four-year-old Rukmani, who has a definite reason to rejoice, is glum. She has been selected for the international power lifting championship to be held in the US this year, but she is not sure whether she can make it. For she needs Rs 1,30,000 and she does not have it.
Living in Sundarapuram on the outskirts of Coimbatore city with her husband and two children, Rukmini got silver in the 60-kilo category at the national-level power lifting championship held at Orissa in 2004. She had
also got second prize in the national championship held in Udaipur in Rajasthan last February. State-level gold is already there in her profile.
Reckoning her ability, the Indian Power Lifting Federation has sorted out her for the international power lifting event to be held in Texas from October 4 to 8, 2006. But she lacks financial assistance.
Hailing from an economically poor family, Rukmani, right from her childhood had a passion for weightlifting. That prompted her to spend six hours a day for practice session, despite all difficulties.Her trainer is M A Velusamy, a stalwart power lifter and the vice-president of the Coimbatore District Power Lifting Association.
``In 2003,'' he recalls, ``I was selected to attend the international power lifting championship at Kajakisthan and I had nobody to help me go there. At last, determinedly, I sold my house and attended the event. And now I can
call myself an Asian champion.''
``I have dedicated my life to train people in power lifting, particularly women, whose talents should be showcased in the world arena,'' he says with a fervent smile.
Inspired by her trainer, Rukmani is eager to attend the international event and trying all possible ways to get financial help.
``The one-lakh-and-odd is a big sum for me. Already I am finding it hard to run the family with the minimal salary of my husband who is working as a fitter in a cotton mill,'' she says with a tinge of sorrow.
Her deadline to arrange the money was March 31, but she had suscessfully applied for extension.
``My only carnal desire is to fetch a gold medal for India,'' she says even as her face asserts the worry as to how she is going to attend the event.
Will any sports buffs or philanthropists help her?
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