Gold medallist finds it hard to participate in Asian Powerlifting Championship

VARANASI: Due to financial constraints, the winner of 5 gold in 2011 Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships Nidhi Singh Patel finds it hard to go to Hong Kong to show her talent in the 2015 Asian Powerlifting Championship scheduled to be held in July. Belonging to a poor rural family Nidhi has so far won 5 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze in international events, and 5 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze in national events.
Nidhi, a native of Pachera village in Mirzapur district, is in dilemma how a sum of Rs 1.35 lakh will be arranged to make her trip to Hong Kong. "I have to deposit the amount to the Indian Powerlifting Federation by June 10 to take part in the sporting event," said Nidhi, the only member from UP in the Indian team. It is beyond the capacity of his father Girija Prasad Singh Patel, a fourth grade employee at a college, to manage the amount. "We are looking for some help from generous people," Patel told TOI. He has to feed a family of five in his meagre income.
"We are contacting people for help, and we will also meet the government official to help her out," said her coach Kamlapati Tripathi, who runs a fitness centre in Mirzapur. Earlier her three foreign trips to Manila (Philippines), Taiwan (China), and Bournemouth (England) became possible after private donations. While she bagged five gold medals in 2011 Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships in England, she won a silver in Asian Benchpress Championships in Manila in 2010 and a bronze Asian Benchpress Championships in Taiwan in 2011.
"My expenses were borne by some organizations and generous people," she said adding that she never received any financial assistance or recognition from the state government. Nidhi, MA final year student, will have to arrange Rs 1.35 lakh by June 10 so that she could join the camp in Delhi from July 14 for the 2015 Asian Powerlifting Championship in Hong Kong.