Express Impact: Punjab CM Mann gives hockey player Paramjeet Kumar, who works as porter, government job
Paramjeet Kumar met Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at residence Wednesday afternoon, days after The Indian Express reported on the plight of the former state-level hockey player.
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Paramjeet Kumar, who had played along with the likes of Tokyo Olympics bronze medal-winning Indian captain Manpreet Singh, told Bhagwant Mann about his playing days. Days after The Indian Express highlighted the plight of state-level hockey player Paramjeet Kumar, who works as a palledar (worker loading and unloading rice and wheat sacks from trucks) at the Faridkot mandi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has promised him a government job as coach in the sports department.
“While the previous government did not listen to your plight, you don’t have to worry. Your bad phase has passed. We will hire you in the sports department and will soon issue a notification regarding this. We want to provide you with an opportunity in your expertise only. Our target is to make Punjab number one in sports again and we will ensure that you earn a decent earning. I have instructed the Punjab sports department to call you with all your certificates and soon you will be given a job,” Mann told Kumar, who met the chief minister at his residence Wednesday afternoon, according to a video released by Punjab Aam Aadmi Party.
Kumar grew up in Faridkot and was initiated into hockey by coach Baltej Indepal Singh Babbu at the Government Bijendra College and later took coaching from Baljinder Singh. In 2004, Kumar was selected for the Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centre at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala, and was then selected for the Centre of Excellence for Hockey at the NIS in 2007.
Paramjeet Kumar played for Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) and Punjab teams in two nationals returning with medals and was also part of the Indian junior team named for Junior Asia Cup, which was to be held in Bangladesh in 2007.
Kumar remained with the centre till 2009 before he played hockey on contract for Punjab Police and Punjab State Electricity Board for three years. During his time at Patiala, Kumar was part of the SAI Combined team in the U-16 and U-18 hockey nationals where the team bagged a silver medal in the U-16 nationals at Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. He also played for Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) and Punjab teams in two nationals returning with medals and was also part of the Indian junior team named for Junior Asia Cup, which was to be held in Bangladesh in 2007.
The tournament was cancelled due to administrative reasons. Kumar played in the Nehru International Tournament with the Indian junior team in Delhi. In 2012, Kumar suffered a wrist injury, which sidelined him for more than a year before he made a comeback in the sport followed by quitting the sport in 2015 to work as a palledar to support his family. He gets Rs 1.25 per sack and he loads and unloads around 450 sacks per day to earn a living.
At the Faridkot mandi, Paramjeet Kumar gets Rs 1.25 per sack and he loads and unloads around 450 sacks per day to earn a living.
“While I got some financial support in the form of a stipend during my time at the SAI centre at NIS, I did not have a job to support my family. While I have worked as a palledar to support my family, I have never left my dream of playing again as well coaching young players in hockey. Getting an opportunity to do a job as a coach will be a life-changing moment for me. Whatever responsibility I am given, I will aim to hone the skills of young players and improve hockey at the grassroots level,” Kumar told The Indian Express from Faridkot on Thursday.
Kumar, who had played along with the likes of Tokyo Olympics bronze medal-winning Indian captain Manpreet Singh and other players like Rupinder Pal Singh, Lalit Upadhyay and Kothajeet Singh in the Sports Authority of India teams, also told Mann about his playing days. “I played as a full-back and captained the teams in the Beighton Cup. Players like Manpreet, Rupinderpal and others know about me and have approached me to provide help in recent days after knowing of my plight. Whatever job I am given, I will be giving my best. My five-year-old son Vikrant plays hockey and I want to prepare players, who can play for India one day and make the country proud,” said Kumar.
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