Moved by Kanchanmala Pande's plight, Abhinav Bindra helps para-swimmer get Rs 3 lakh scholarship

Ace shooter Abhinav Bindra intervened to help Kanchanmala Pande get a Rs 3 lakh scholarship after reading about a Mail Today report on how the para-swimmer was forced to borrow money in Berlin after government-sanctioned funds did not reach her in time.

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Moved by Kanchanmala Pande's plight, Abhinav Bindra helps para-swimmer get Rs 3 lakh scholarship

In Short

  • Bindra helps Kanchanmala Pande get Rs 3 lakh scholarship.
  • The ace shooter also wrote a letter to the sports ministry to improve facilities for athletes.
  • Pande was forced to borrow money in Berlin after sanctioned funds did not reach her.

Moved by Mail Today's report on para-swimmer Kanchanmala Pande's plight in Berlin, ace shooter Abhinav Bindra is gunning for basic facilities and timely funds for athletes. On Thursday, India's only sportsperson to win an Olympic gold in an individual event helped Kanchanmala get a scholarship of Rs 3 lakh from GoSports Foundation.

Bindra is part of the board of advisors at the non-profit that nurtures budding talent. Kanchan was inducted into the organisation's "Para Champions" programme. Bindra also wrote a letter to the sports ministry, proposing steps required to improve facilities for sportspersons.

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Mail Today reported on Wednesday how Kanchanmala was forced to borrow money from fellow swimmers during the Para Swimming Championships in Berlin after the funds sanctioned by the Sports Authority of India did not reach her on time.

Bindra was among the first celebrated athletes from the country to express outrage on Twitter. Speaking to Mail Today, he said it is important to support the sportspersons.

"I was concerned about her (Kanchan) when I read about the incident. So I approached GoSports and asked them to help if possible. I have also written a brief letter to the ministry stating the necessary things to back our athletes in order for them to grow and excel in their fields," Bindra said.

Eighteen para-swimmers are already part of the foundation's programme that runs for a period of one year, offering a 360-degree approach to the athlete's growth.

Kanchan, apparently, had applied for the scholarship four months ago, but was not selected as she missed the deadline of filing application.

Nevertheless, the 26-year-old is now promised an extensive training programme as she attempts to bring laurels to the country at the event in Mexico.

Kanchan, who is completely sightless, expressed her gratitude to Bindra, saying she now has to prove her worth with a good show in the World Championships.

"I was surprised to get a call from GoSports. I am really happy the way Abhinav Bindra Sir has come out in support of me in a rather practical way. He has been continuously tweeting about the incident and went on to help me with a scholarship. This is my first scholarship and now I want to train harder than before to live up to the expectations. With the facilities and training I'll be receiving in coming weeks, I am sure I will be able to put up a good show in Mexico," she told Mail Today.

Deepthi Bopaiah, executive director of GoSports Foundation, said Bindra approached the organisation after reading the news report and sought help for Kanchan.

"We are glad Abhinav brought it to our notice. He has always stood up for Indian athletes and he informed us about Kanchan. We will be offering her a scholarship amounting to Rs 3 Lakh," said Deepthi.

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"We had a chat with her and will now evaluate her requirements. We need to see if she needs a nutritionist, a mental coach or any other kind of training to help her reach full level of fitness. The contract will only be till the World Championships but we will see if we could provide her any further assistance."

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