Hyderabad, November 23: Winning a gold medal in rowing does not exactly trigger media hype in India, but it has its perks. India’s gold medal winning rower in the Asian Games, Bajrang Lal Takhar, is over the moon because he has received an invitation to see the second one day match between India and New Zealand on December 1 at Jaipur.
He hoped to see his idol Sachin Tendulkar but alas, the batsman is not playing the game.
“That’s really unfortunate. I idolize him because of his passion for the game. At 37, he works hard and scores runs. I would love to meet him,” said Takhar who returned to Hyderabad after his golden exploits at the Guangzhou Asiad on Monday.
The Indian rowing squad, who won five medals, including Takhar’s gold in the singles sculls event, in the Guangzhou Asian Games, returned on Monday to their camp in the city where they were trained at the high-performance training facility at the Hussain Sagar.
The reception for the returning champions was not as effusive as for the Commonwealth Games winners last month, but it was warm nevertheless. Led by the Rowing Federation of India (RFI) president CP Singh Deo and Col ML Mohan Babu, officiating commandant of the Artillery Centre, a small contingent of the Army ushered the rowers to a touching reception, with a band playing accompaniment.
The ride to the city was not a ticker- tape parade, but the champions were bused to town. Takhar and a chosen few got to ride in the back of an open-top EME Gyspsy bedecked sparingly with flowers. As motorists looked on bemused, Takhar, Saji Thomas, Jenil Krishnan, Girraj and their coach Ismail Baig smiled at the chasing pack of photographers to live their moment in the sun.
As the gold winner, Takhar was the most sought after at the airport.
After some discreet enquiries, a few bystanders went up to seek his autograph and a few even pictures. “It feels nice,” said Takhar.
For those who still don’t know, Takhar won the men’s singles gold in the Asian Games with a start-tofinish dash in the 2,000 m. Chief coach Baig puts it in perspective.
“He is a specialist sculler. Like the 100 m sprint in athletics, singles sculls is a glamour event in rowing.
It needs special qualities and Bajrang has all of them.” If there was any disappointment that the city didn’t work up more enthusiasm for these champions, the squad didn’t show it.
Coach Baig only said they would have won more golds had they had new boats. They used old boats in Guangzhou, and “it cost us dearly.”
–Agencies