A painful video of a national boxer and qualified coach driving an auto for a living has raised many a debate in the social media. Once the video of former North India boxing champion Abid Khan shared by YouTube channel Sports Gaon became viral, the social media was abuzz with discussion and help started to pour from many places.
A trained professional and a person who coached army boxing teams for five years, Khan could not get a decent job despite his achievements in sports. The 17-minute clip depicts the plight of the former champion. He was a student of the National Institute of Sports, Patiala in 1988-89. Khan also represented Panjab University.
FINANCIAL ISSUES
He began driving auto after he faced financial problems. Apart from driving auto, he was also engaged in unloading grain sacks in the market. In the video clip, Khan speaks about his struggles to find a decent job though he was having exceptional sporting records.
Despite the odds, Khan started a free coaching for underprivileged children in Dhanas area. He mentions in the video that he could train more children and other sports persons if got a better opportunity. He also said that he want to get back to coaching,
NEVER WANT CHILDREN TO FOLLOW HIS PATH
A father of two sons, he however does not want his children to join sports. Khan notes that he does not want his children to have the same struggles as underwent. Once the video went viral, several people expressed disappointment over the plight of a national level boxer and some have come forward to help him out.
Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra in his tweet said, “In any case I prefer investing in people’s talents & passion rather than offer charity. Please let me know how I can invest and support his ‘start-up’ boxing academy…”
