Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 11: Union Minister of State in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh today honoured the young Fencer from Jammu who not only brought laurels to the State but also to the entire country by bagging the Bronze Medal in Commonwealth Games played at New Castle, England from July 23 to 30 this year.
Dr Jitendra Singh, while honouring Shriya Gupta daughter of Sanjay Gupta of Talab Tillo Jammu and a 9th Standard student of Presentation Convent School, Jammu said that she did a lot of hard work in reaching New Castle, England to participate in games, to seek visa for herself and her coach Shotu Lal Sharma.
The Union Minister said that the girl was selected to participate in the Commonwealth Games but as per the rule of the games a player should participate in the games along with the coach. While she was given the visa, the visa of her coach was not prepared.
“She approached me at 3pm few days before her schedule departure for England as she could not attend Commonwealth without her coach whose visa was not prepared.’’ Some social activists from Jammu also approached me and said if the girl missed the chance what is the fun of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao slogan’’. They said “she alone was given visa and her coach was denied and she can’t go without the coach as per the rules of games’’.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that he approached Foreign Minister, Sushma Swaraj at that very moment. As the office was going to be closed for day’s work I submitted her documents through Whatsapp and they got visa within no time. “With her efforts the girl participated in the games along with her coach and made us all feel proud by bagging the bronze medal for the country’’, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that there are best athletes in India who get medals in Asian Games and Commonwealth by practicing in the backyard of their houses and stressed on providing facilities to such players .
Shriya Gupta has been playing as Fencer for over last two years. Earlier from her little age she was playing Martial Art and Taekwondo. In this game she also got medal at national level.
She has been declared best Fencer throughout India and got Bronze Medal in single championship. Shriya was inspired by her brother Shivalik Gupta who was also playing Fencing and has participated in nationals many times. He is presently a first year student of BITS Pilani.
Shriya is also good at her studies. She is cautious about them too and is House Captain at her School, said her father, Sanjay Gupta an Architect.
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