Support pours for MP teen who nursed hockey dream on broken stick

Bhopal: A day after TOI brought out a report on Nausheen Naz, a promising hockey player born to a daily-wager father, offers of help and support poured in Friday from across the country for the 15-year-old prodigy now eyeing Asia Cup glory.The report traced the journey of Nausheen, raised in the dusty lanes of Seoni in Madhya Pradesh, from picking up a discarded and broken hockey stick to being selected for an ongoing Under 18 Asia Cup training camp in Bhopal. The tournament starts in Japan from May 29.Hours after the report was published, a stream of callers swamped this correspondent's phone — from a school headmistress in Mumbai, hockey fans to the MP sports department, all ready and willing to support the teen sensation with the necessary gear and kit that she lacks.With her father Ahfaz Khan barely earning about Rs 250 a day, Nausheen honed her skills with the broken stick, which she had reassembled with a cloth and is now training with equipment provided by the MP Women's Hockey Academy after being picked for the Asia Cup camp. "My daughter has made us believe in miracles," Khan said Friday after the wave of support.The MP govt's sports department contacted Nausheen's family. "We assured comprehensive financial assistance, essential equipment, training stipends, and potential hostel facilities," a senior official said.The Mumbai headmistress was moved by the inspiring triumph of grit over odds. "As an educator, I found the article inspiring. We would love to help Nausheen with the hockey kit and any other gear she needs," she said.A hockey fan emailed TOI saying: "Thank you for the inspiring story... Can you advise how to connect with her father and understand her requirements?" Another wrote: "Please specify the cost of a professional hockey kit, bank details, and contact number of Nausheen Naz."