Poonam's dream of decent job, recognition remain unfulfilled

VARANASI: International footballer Poonam Chauhan, who had represented India in junior and senior national championships as many as 18 times and South Asian Games in 2010, died of dengue at a private hospital on Tuesday night. Her mortal remains were consigned to flames at Manikarnika ghat on Wednesday. As a mark of respect for the departed soul, the under-17 UP Football Championship match was postponed on Wednesday.
With death, Poonam's (29) struggle and seemingly endless wait for a decent job too ended in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency.She, her father and former football coach Munna Lal Chauhan had to run stationery shop to make both ends meet. Just two months before her death, however, she had landed a contract for Rs 25,000 per month as a coach with Sigra Sports Stadium. The Sports Authority said that a cheque of Rs. 50,000 as 'protsahan' (encouragement) amount was given to her on Tuesday when she was battling for life.
Following a sharp deterioration in her health, she was admitted to a local hospital on Monday night. Her platelets dipped at a fast pace. "The NS1 antigen test for dengue was positive, while the result of IgM and IgG tests were negative," chief medical officer Dr V B Singh told TOI on Wednesday.
The news of her death was received with disbelief by sports lovers. Regional sports officer Bhagwan Rai said that as a mark of respect, championship matches of Under-17 were postponed on Wednesday. "It is a great loss. She was a football coach on contract for the last two and a half months," said Rai.
He added that a cheque of 'protsahan rashi' (encouragement amount) for Rs. 50,000 was given to her on Tuesday.
Poonam was the youngest to have been selected in senior UP girls football team in 2001. She represented the junior- and senior national-level championships as many as 18 times with South Asian Games (SAG) in 2010 and Asian Confederation Cup (AFC) qualifying round and championship in 2006-07 being the prominent international tournaments.
She won gold medals in SAG and AFC. Her short-lived job experience includes working as football coach at SAI, Lucknow, KV in Rae Baraeli and Government Sports Stadium in Bhadohi, and working on contract-basis at Sampurnanand Sports Stadium in Sigra, Varanasi.
She had done BA, BPEd, MPEd and diploma in sports coaching (football) from NIS, Patiala. All her five siblings have represented the Indian team in national and international levels in football and hockey and received primary training in sports from their father. Her younger brother is currently receiving training in hockey at UP Sports Hostel in Lucknow.