Jagdalpur, March 31 (IANS) Suraj Mashi and his friends, who are training at the athletics track in Nashik, are busy doubling up as wide-eyed fan boys, watching their seniors do drills to improve their performance. The only difference is that they are busy taking mental notes that they can implement when they begin their training drills.

Suraj is part of a group of tribal athletes who can’t really afford to pay for a coach every month and have to rely on whatever help they can get to improve their performance, as running is the only skill that has brought them this far and can one day change their lives for the better.

“The coaching fee is Rs 4000 per month. I can’t afford it. I stay on rent in Nashik to study and have to pay rent, which I earn from running in races in Maharashtra and Gujarat. So I train by myself and seek advice from seniors or Tribal department coaches when I get stuck,” said Suraj, who bagged the silver medal in the men’s 5000m race in the athletics competition in the Khelo India Tribal Games here on Sunday.

Instead, Suraj pays Rs 300 a month to use the facility and trains with second-hand shoes and spikes. However, with his spikes quite worn out, he had to borrow a fellow runner’s spikes to compete in the Khelo India Tribal Games here.

Hailing from a small village in Mokhada Taluka of Palghar district, Suraj’s life has been a story of struggles and self-reliance. The first boy to be born on the back of four sisters to a daily wage labourer, Suraj, who belongs to the Warli tribe, has been on his own ever since he joined a state-government-run Ashram Shala to study.

It was during a sports event in the school that he discovered running, and ever since, competing in races has been the stabilising force in his life, with many ups and downs.

When Suraj was in the 10th standard, his mother suffered a fall in the house and injured her hip, and couldn’t walk anymore. One of his elder sisters passed away last year, and three of his younger brothers look up to him for guidance and support.

After completing his school, Suraj moved to Nashik for further studies and fulfilling his sports aspirations, but balancing the higher living costs and supporting his family has been a constant juggling act.

“I make a living by participating in the local competitions and cross-country races, from which I earn around Rs 3000 to Rs 5000 every month. From that amount, whatever I manage to save, I send it to my father, and also pay for my education, training, and other requirements,” said Suraj, who will turn 19 in June this year.

After turning 18, Suraj attempted to get a job in the police department. While he did well in most of the physical tests, he could not clear the mandatory distance in the Shot Put and hence missed out.

While getting a job remains Suraj’s priority, he is confident that his performance at the Khelo India Tribal Games would lead to some positive change, pointing out that the Maharashtra government does give some cash awards for the medallists in the Khelo India Games.

–IANS

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