Gold medalist Anisa miffed with Railways

Shooter Anisa Sayyed is ecstatic about winning gold but she still remains miffed with her employers-the Indian Railways.

Shooter Anisa Sayyed is ecstatic about winning gold in the 25m air pistol event at the ongoing Commonwealth Games here but she still remains miffed with her employers – the Indian Railways.

Sayyed,who checks passenger tickets at Mumbai’s Vile Parle station on the Western Railway was so upset after fruitlessly trying for two years to get a transfer post her marriage,that she put in her papers last month.

However after her medal win,a call from her office informing her about a cash reward and a transfer to the place of her choice seems to have upset her further.

“I had put in my papers a month back. I don’t know whether they have accepted it or not. I got a call from them saying you have been transferred. But it is too late now.

“I don’t think I should go back because for two years,I was running like a mad person in circles to get myself transferred. I had written so many letters but they made me feel I am worthless. Now I have showed them of what level I am and what I am worth,” said Sayyed in an interview.

Talking about the phone call,the shooter who got married in 2008 said,”After winning the gold,the chief from the sports department called and said the General Manager has congratulated me and some cash award has been declared for me and that I have been transferred to Kishanganj.

“I am staying at Faridabad and I had been telling them to transfer me at least to Kishanganj. That time they didn’t and now that I have won the medal,I was transferred in one day. What kind of rule is this? For two years I was madly telling them to please transfer me.”

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Sayyed,who hails from a middle-class Muslim family,lived in a small quarter in Pune. Over a decade ago,she decided to take up pistol shooting.

The shooter who won two gold medals in the 25m air pistol pairs with Rahi Sarnobat and individual,also feels that had it not been for her husband,she wouldn’t have come so far.

“My husband has been like a pillar of strength. He has never raised any objections about my interest in shooting. More so he is the one who would encourage me to think about achieving bigger goals.”

Interestingly,Anisa was going through a financial crisis,struggling to buy a pistol after her old gun was damaged due to a malfunction. But when all seemed lost,her husband’s company (Tulip) came to her rescue and bought her a new pistol.

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However,she could not shoot with the pistol as it came late but is thankful to the company for helping her out.