Simranjit Kaur
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YEAR-WISE DEVELOPMENTS
2020: unemployment
Hindol Basu, January 14, 2020: The Times of India
NEW DELHI: A bronze medallist at the 2018 World Championship and silver medallist at the 2019 Asian Championship, boxer Simranjit Kaur is jobless these days.
The 24-year-old, who hails from Ludhiana's Chakar village, is running from pillar to post looking for employment without any luck. Simranjit's home state government has also not come to the aid of the champion pugilist yet. Life has been a struggle for Simranjit and her family of five, including her two younger brothers, elder sister and mother.
Her father, who worked at a local grocery store at a meagre salary of Rs 4,000, died in July 2018 due to a heart attack. Since then, the family is entirely dependent on Simranjit's earnings - the money she gets for participating in various international tournaments.
A 'pucca' (constant) source of income, especially if it comes from the Punjab government, would help her feel secure and she can concentrate on representing the country without any mental baggage.
"I have given my application to the Punjab government, but I am yet to get a response," Simranjit told TOI. "Last year, Punjab Police had advertised for some posts but they were mostly for the rank of a constable. I hope the government at least gives me a sub-inspector level job."
She is pursuing her graduation - BA second year - from Chandigarh University to ensure she doesn't fall short of the government's academic criterion.
Simranjit's preference is a job with the Punjab government, but her family situation has prompted her to look for employment elsewhere too. "I am the sole breadwinner of the family. My two younger brothers are still studying. My elder sister is employed with the BSF (Border Security Force), but she is married and lives with her husband. The responsibility of the family thus is entirely mine. I want to get a job with the Punjab government but now I am open to a job anywhere else - within the state or outside it."
Interestingly, despite winning accolades for the country, Simranjit has never been employed anywhere. " Kabhi job kiya hi nahi, kisi ne diya hi nahi (Never been employed, nobody offered me a job)."
A source in the Punjab sports department informed that Simranjit had put in requests for a job several times in the last two years.
TOI's repeated calls to Punjab sports minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi went unanswered, while Sanjay Popli, special secretary in sports and youth affairs ministry, didn't react either. Recently, Simranjit won the 60kg trial against veteran boxer Sarita Devi and bagged the right to represent India at the Olympic qualifiers in February.
