This seven-time gold medalist forced to sell tea for a living, Raveena Tandon seeks govt intervention

Santosh said, "The government helped us with Rs. two lakh for the treatment when I got injured. I won many championships. I want the government to give me a job"

By: News Desk |
May 14, 2017 11:54 am

Many sports personalities from India are famous worldwide and have been given the status of a god. From cricket to tennis, badminton to wrestling they have made our country proud and have won many awards. Like them is Santosh, a national level champion and seven-time gold medalist in Powerlifting who made the country proud but her story is a bit different as she is now is forced to live in poverty.

As per reports, after suffering an injury she quit sports and to make both ends meet she is now selling tea at a shop owned by her father. To earn some extra money, she also works as a bouncer. Santosh, who hails from Sonepat in Haryana has now approached the government in order to get some help.

According to news agency ANI, Santosh said, “I was injured while training and had to discontinue powerlifting. The government helped us with Rs. two lakh for the treatment when I got injured. I won many championships. I want the government to give me a job.”

Soon after her story got viral on the social media, Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon tried to bring the attention of the government authorities and requested them to look into the matter. After which, Union Cabinet Minister for Women & Child Development Maneka Gandhi replied saying “We have requested Sports Minister Vijay Goel to suitably redress the case of Ms Santosh”.

Thank you ma,m. We have to support,stand by our athletes,who against all odds,bring glory to our country.#Santosh #amazingwomenofHaryana https://t.co/7IahmmUf46

— Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) May 12, 2017

Raveena Tandon thanked Maneka Gandhi for the response and on her twitter wrote, “Thank you ma,m. We have to support, stand by our athletes, who against all odds, bring glory to our country”.