Gudari: Despite winning gold medals in national-level weight lifting competitions in Delhi and Kolkata, 30-year-old Birendra Sabar from Kadama village in Rayagada district continues to battle poverty, awaiting government support to pursue his athletic ambitions.
Set to compete in a major weight lifting tournament in Haryana this November, Birendra’s journey has been marked by personal tragedy and financial hardship.
He lost his father at a young age, his mother passed away last year, and his only brother died in 2022. His two sisters are married and live away from home.
Birendra passed his matriculation from Chandrapur High School in 2012 and later enrolled in the commerce stream at Rayagada College. However, he had to drop out after the first year due to his inability to pay the second-year examination fees.
Currently, he runs a small photocopy shop at Ambaguda in Rayagada to earn a living. Despite the challenges, he continues to train in weightlifting at Shaheed Laxman Gym under his coach Dora Kandagiri. Over the years, he has earned multiple medals at various competitions held outside Odisha.
Birendra aspires to represent India at the Asian Games and the Olympics. “If I get financial help from the government or a private organisation, I will continue training and aim for international events,” he said.
He had previously submitted a written request to then-Rayagada Collector Swadha Dev Singh during a grievance redressal camp at the Gudari block office. The collector had promised support and encouraged him to stay committed to training.
Gudari Block Development Officer Suchismita Behera said she would consult with district-level sports officials to ensure suitable action is taken.
Gudari NAC Executive Officer Prasanna Kumar Padhi said there is currently no provision for direct support from the civic body, but he would recommend Birendra for a coaching position at a local gym through the district sports officer.
Gunupur MLA Satyajeet Goman, when contacted, said he was committed to supporting deserving talent from his constituency.
“I will take steps to help Birendra advance as a professional athlete and will escalate the matter to higher authorities if needed,” he said.
PNN
