Sarita, who belongs to a remote village in tribal-dominated Dangs, bagged an Asian Games gold medal in Jakarta-Palembang.
The story of Asian Games gold medallist Sarita Gayakwad is as inspiring as it gets. From running barefoot once upon a time, the daughter of a farm labourer, was a part of the women's 4X400 relay team which won the Gold at Jakarta on Thursday.
Sarita belongs to Karadi Amba, a remote village in the tribal-dominated Dangs district, where she grew up in extreme poverty in a kuchcha house. However, things changed when her talent was spotted, and she became a professional athlete. The Gold at the Asian Games is her biggest sporting feat yet.
While Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced a cash prize of Rs1 crore for her feat, the Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, where she used to study earlier, announced her as the varsity's brand ambassador. The university also declared a cash prize of Rs2 lakh for her.
"It is a matter of great pride for us that our student, especially one coming from a very poor background, has achieved this success," the university's V-C Shivendra Gupta, said. Gupta recalled that there was a time when Sarita, not in a position to afford shoes, used to run barefoot in competitions. Sarita's sporting talent was first noticed during the Khel Mahakumbh, while her journey as a professional athlete started when she took part in a 400 m trial race organised by Sports Authority of Gujarat (SAG) in 2015. Her coach Ajmon KS said she caught his attention when she finished the run in a little over a minute.
It was he who trained Sarita at the Sports Authority of Gujarat's academy in Nadiad, where he is the expert coach. He described Sarita as immensely talented and disciplined. He also said that Sarita was initially hesitant about devoting herself to sports.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "(L - R) Sarita Gayakwad, Vismaya, Hima Das and Poovamma Raju")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}