It was the perfect setting to the recently concluded 7th edition of the Deserve Builder & Devolopers-RCF Premier Cup Football Tournament, which was conducted at the RCF Colony ground, Chembur. The organizers, RCF Colony Boys Krida and Sanskrutik Mandal as a very noble gesture honoured a forgotten sports hero from the country.
(L- R)- Salim Ansari, Vice-President RCF colony Boys Krida & Sanskrutik Mandal, Kaur Singh (centre), former Indian Boxing Champion along with Deshpal Singh, Sponsors-Deserve Builders and Developers.
Keeping with their tradition, this year the RCF Colony Boys felicitated former Indian boxing champion and Olympian Kaur Singh, who is also the recipient of the Arjuna and Padmashree awards. The RCF Colony Boys Krida & Sanskrutik Mandal presented the Punjab boxer with a cheque of Rs one lakh, mementos and gifts. Kaur was the Guest of Honour and spent a couple of days in Mumbai, with all expenses taken care of by the Colony Boys.
Despite bringing laurels for the country, Kaur is still awaiting the cash amount he was promised by the government after winning the 1982 Asian Games Gold medal 34 years ago. As a result, Kaur dissuaded his children from taking to sports as a career because of the government’s apathy and lackadaisical treatment meted out to the sportspersons.
The sturdily built Kaur was the National champion for five years till 1983. He also boxed his way to six gold medals in the international competitions, including the Asian Games of 1982. Kaur Singh managed to win two bouts in the Los Angeles Olympics before losing the third match. He was also conferred with the Vishisht Sewa Medal (VSM), Seva Medal and Sangram Medal by the Indian Army.
Kaur also enjoys the rare distinction of being the only Indian boxer to have had the privilege to fight in the ring with the greatest boxer of all time, legendary late Muhammad Ali in an exhibition match during the latter’s visit to India in 1980 and he rightly deserved that opportunity as he was the national champion.
Salim Ansari, Vice President of the organization, said “It’s a great honor for our team to recognize the achievements of the veteran boxing champion. When we came to know about Mr. Kaur Singh’s plight after reading some news reports in the media, we (committee) did not hesitate in deciding to felicitate Kaur Singh. We immediately got into action and made all arrangements for Singh to travel to Mumbai.”
“In the past we have felicitated international sportspersons like, Olympians Dhanraj Pillai and Leander Paes, Sita Sahu, a double bronze medal winner at the 2011 Special Olympics in Athens, and this time we felt that it was also important to care about the sportspersons (Kaur Singh) who got laurels to India and are still waiting for the promised cash since 34 years. We will continue to support such kind of athletes in the future,” he further stated.
Speaking about his visit to Mumbai, Kaur Singh speaking with a mix of Hindi and Punjabi said “I am grateful to RCF Colony Boys for this honor and for one lakh rupees, am very happy that you are felicitating and supporting sportsmen not during their peak but actually when they need the most, this team (RCF Colony Boys) are doing an awesome job by supporting the underprivileged children’s in education and sports,” he further added.
“The Government needs to stand by sportspersons during their hard times or we will lose the right talents in sports,” said Singh who dissuaded his children from taking to sports because of the government’s apathy and lackadaisical treatment meted out to the sportspersons.
The forgotten Indian boxer after hanging up his gloves and post retirement from the Indian army lives as just another small-time farmer from Punjab’s Malwa region. He is seen busy out in the sun working on his farm and dealing with government officials on a crop survey in his village in Sangrur.
Ansari also that mentioned, “We are a socially responsible committee and I am glad to state that we moving ahead from distributing books and organizing blood donation camps to adopting children’s from our local Municipal School (BMC), we have adopted 5 underprivileged kids and we will be supporting them financially and encourage their sports aspiration and their education. We also have started sponsoring the our local Municipal School (BMC) kabaddi team with all the basic necessity like jersey, shorts, shoes , bags and other basic gears required for their practice and matches.”