National Games: MNREGA worker to record-breaker, UP man clinches gold in 35 km race walk

NREGA worker Ram Baboo from Uttar Pradesh bagged a gold medal and broke national record in 35 km race walk at National games held on October 4. However, Ram's journey has been full of hurdles that have not yet become his past.

Despite having several well wishers who went out of their way to support him by paying for his training and kit, Ram Baboo's dreams came to a stand still as his family was one of the many hit by the uncertainties of the pandemic. His training camp shut down.

“I worked in MNREGA digging ponds with my father. My parents had a card so I would work on that. We had to make a road or dig ponds. We worked for two months,” said Ram Baboo in conversation with Sportstar.

Recalling the financial difficulties he had faced during the his work under the scheme, the sportsman said, “they didn’t pay us daily. They calculate how much earth we removed and then pay us based on that. I made around Rs 200-300 a day.”

Ram would support his family at home by digging ditches for his work while he continued to watch race walking videos to track his success. Even after Ram returned to train in Bhopal, he was haunted by several hardships. Since outsiders were not allowed inside the training camp, Ram's coach would send him training videos on whatsapp and he would practice on the roads outside the training centre.

Ram Baboo’s hard work paid off when he clinched a gold in men’s 35km race walking event at the open nationals, but even after fighting through the odds and proving himself, he continues to struggle with financial difficulties. Ram is yet to receive his prize money.

“The UP government has announced prize money for the results at the Race Walking Nationals and the National Championships. They have announced the prize money in the newspapers as well, but I am yet to get the money. They have said they will give Rs 6 lakh to the winner of the National Games,” Ram told the news agency.

To battle his finances, Ram recalls his dreadful experience of working as a waiter when his heath was constantly deteriorating. Taking from his life struggle, Ram channels all his learnings to his sport. “I was very unwell at that time, but I was still working because I needed the money. It taught me what human life is all about. During the race if I am struggling, I motivate myself by remembering where I started and where I am now. If you don’t push yourself, you won’t have any recognition.’

With an ambition to qualify for Asian games and Olympics, Ram Baboo continues to be optimistic about his game. Ram is currently training as a civilian at Pune’s Army Sports Institute where his stay and training are being taken care of.