Puttur lass soars high against all odds

Poornima is the only girl from DK to represent India in international throwball tourney

A recent movie featured on Milkha Singh's life, showed that poverty cannot stand between dreams, in case one is ready to work hard and face all challenges with dedication.

The life of Poornima P, a II year Degree student of Alva's College is similar to the great athlete. Poornima is the only girl from Dakshina Kannada district, who will be representing India, in the Senior-level Open International Women's Throw ball Tournament to be held in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia in August. Poornima hails from Ariyadka village of Puttur taluk and she completed her primary and high school education at Papemajalu Government Primary and High School.

"I hail from a very poor family. Our family survives on the wages my mother earns, by working in other people's houses. Even though it was very difficult, my parents ensured that I study and hence enrolled me to a government school," said Poornima to Deccan Herald.

"In primary school, I used to play volley ball and represented the school team at taluk level. However, I was introduced to Throw Ball in High School. As I was good in the sport, I was made the Captain of the School's throw ball team and I played at taluk and district level," she said.

"Due to extreme poverty, my family could not fund my PU studies, and hence I decided to stop studying after 10th. However, thanks to a well-wisher, I got a seat with less fee at Shree Krishna PU College, Patte, Puttur," said Poornima.

Poornima went on to represent her PU College at the State-level Throw Ball tournament. "I was always interested in sports as a child, and my parents and my brother always supported me. I did not have nutritious food to eat. However, a simple bowl of 'Ganji' (gruel) gave me all the energy, I needed to play," laughs Poornima.
Due to her sports achievements, Poornima got a free seat to pursue BA degree at Alva's College (Moodbidri). "I purchased my first pair of sports shoes, while I was
studying in Alva's. Till then, I used to play barefoot," she said.

At Alva's, Poornima used to practice throw-ball from 5.30 am to 8 am. Later, she would attend College. Her practice would start again, from 4 pm to 7 pm. Later, she would complete her college assignments and study till late night.

Her hard-work brought her success, as the Karnataka team, for which she played won the championship at the Senior National Women's Throw-ball tournament held in Nagpur in 2012 and emerged as the runners-up in the tournament held in Haryana in 2013.

Poornima, is one of the four players from Karnataka and the only one from the district, who will fly to represent the nation at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia in August. At present, she is putting together her resources for the expenses and hopes to get kind hearted sponsors, who could be the wind beneath her wings, helping her to soar high.