Bhadrak: In a fantastic gesture, Leela Tanya Choudhury has come forward to help a fellow differently-abled girl, wheelchair-bound fencer Madhusmita Sahu.
Tanya, an autistic girl, donated sophisticated sports kits worth Rs 3.7 lakh to Madhusmita on Friday.
Bhadrak collector and district magistrate Siddeshwar Baliram Bondar handed over the kit to the polio-afflicted sportsperson at his office in the presence of 22-year-old Tanya and younger sister Diksha.
It was a story published in Odisha Bytes that facilitated the laudable act by Tanya.
After reading the news in www.odishabytes.com about Madhusmita seeking support to participate in an international event, Tanya showed interest to support her, said her mother Joshma Choudhury.
“We immediately contacted the Odisha Bytes to find out the details. They helped us connect to Madhusmita and her coach Rakhal Kumar Sethi,” said Joshma, a certified counsellor for special children.
“We also reached out to the Collector of Bhadrak and expressed our willingness and desire to sponsor the kit so that she could represent India in international competitions,” added Tanya’s father GP Choudhury.
Tanya’s parents were happy to support their daughter’s decision to help Madhusmita.
“In fact we were moved. Tanya wanted to support someone who is differently abled and is trying to find her place under the sun. About three months ago, we paid for the kit, which was delivered to us four days ago. A part of the sponsorship money has been paid from Tanya’s earnings which she has saved from her vocational work,” Joshma informed.
“We reached out to the Bhadrak collector to request him to hand over the sports kit to the player as we don’t know anyone in Bhadrak. It’s always trustworthy and reliable to go through the district administration,” pointed out Tanya’s father.
Despite her financial and physical hardships, Madhusmita has made a name for herself in wheelchair fencing through sheer determination and perseverance.
Earlier this year, she won gold and silver medals for Odisha at the national-level wheelchair fencing competition at Haryana’s Karnal.
A native of Rameshwarpur village under Dhamnagar block in Bhadrak district, Madhusmita is delighted that her prayers for equipment have been answered.
“I was not sure if anyone would help. I still cannot believe that I now have the equipment and can take part in international tournaments. For me, Tanya is like an angel,” said an emotional Madhusmita, whose father Bhagabat Sahu is a potter and a man of modest means.
Expressing gratitude to the Choudhurys for their noble gesture, coach Sethi said Madhusmita has the potential to earn a name for India.
“She can now focus on training instead of worrying about equipment,” he said, adding, “This development proves the dictum ‘where there is a will, there is a way’.”
