Mumbai tea vendor dares to run into elite league

MUMBAI: Ashok can brew a nice cup of tea. It is his occupation after all. He can also run fast, very fast.
Ashok Patil, 27, is a tea vendor who clocked 1 hour, 20 minutes at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon. He is hoping that running will help him lift his life out the morass. Come Sunday, Ashok is confident of dipping under that time. “I can run the distance (21.1km) in 70 minutes,” a confident Ashok told TOI on Friday.
If he can do that, clock 70 minutes or less, he can draw the attention of the Athletics Federation of India which can draft him among the elite athletes of the country.
“I run because I like it, and also in the hope that this will take me somewhere, give me a decent job. I hope I can improve the living conditions of my family.”
Ashok has been working for a living since he was in the fourth standard. His father, Shyamrao, was the lone breadwinner and working in Mumbai. During the 1992-93 riots Shyamrao went missing. Ashok and his family are still searching for him.
“I am the oldest among the siblings and obviously the responsibility of earning a living fell on my shoulders,” he says without any bitterness.
Ashok, who was 8 then, was forced to work. His typical day would start at 6am. He would head to work in his school uniform, work at a small eating place till mid-morning and go to school around 10am. When his studies for the day were done, he would head back to work till 10pm before hitting the bed.
He finally moved to Mumbai to earn more money. He may have left home and moved away from Shirala Taluka in Sangli, but running never left him.
“I used to participate in taluka-level running meets back home and won many prizes. So I continued my training regimen, running in whichever direction I took a fancy to. I have no formal training and I run on guts, not on method,” says Ashok in a very matter-of-fact manner. He does all his running before his patrons arrive at his tea shop for their daily cup. “It was during one such runs on Marine Drive that a gentleman from Striders Club spotted me and donated me his shoes. I am grateful to him, I can at least run in used branded shoes.”
On Sunday, a timing close to 70 minutes for the 21km distance could give his life a new twist.