Twenty-three-year-old Tunlai Narzary of Ghilaguri Dotma Village in Kokrajhar district of Assam has lot of fire in her belly. She is a shot put national senior level player (Women) and boasts of the second position in India (14.21 metres) after Nabajit Khur (15 metres).
Despite holding the first rank in North East India, the athlete is yet to get any “support” from the Assam Government, the Sports Ministry, Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) authorities to give wings to her dreams and win gold medals for her State Assam and her country just like other ‘rising stars’ of Assam like Hima Das.
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Talking to Northeast Now, Tunlai said, “I have been seeking help from the Chief Minister (CM) Sarbananda Sonowal who also holds the Sports portfolio, SAI and BTC authorities but, till date, no help is forthcoming. I have also requested the Director General of Police (Assam) Kuladhar Saikia to help me to take part in the All India Police meet which is going to be held in December 2018. If selected, I will be able to play shot put at the World Police Meet events to be held in China in 2019.”
Narzary said that shot put player Nabajit Khur (4 kg weight shot put 15 metres) is ranked No 1 in India. “Khur is getting regular support from the Government and good nutritious diet. I am getting nothing. If Government gives me proper support, then I will be able to break Nabajit Khur’s record.”
Tunlai has dreams of participating in various national and international level sporting events like Asian Games and Olympics and she is optimistic that with proper support “I will be able to bring gold medals for my country”.
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“Last month, I participated in the 58th National Open Athletics Championship held in Orissa from September 25 to 28 and got the second position in the category – Senior Women Shot-put Throw Player in India.” Tunlai started playing shot put from Kokrajhar SAI complex in the year 2008 and participated in various national and international events like Second South Sub-junior Athletic Championship held at Ranchi in 2013, National Northeast Game 2014-15, 58th National Open Athletics Championship held in Orissa from September 25 to 28 2018 and till now she has quite a few plumes to her beret – 38 medals – 18 gold medals, 8 silver and 12 bronze medals – by dint of her brilliant show in various shot put events.
Since she comes from a financially weak background, she has the responsibility of looking after her family – “I applied for a job in the sports quota on the request of Maligaon Railway authorities in Guwahati after I won a bronze medal at the Second South Sub-junior Athletic Championship held in Ranchi in 2013. But, to my utter disbelief, the Railway authorities did not give me the job. Later, I burnt the midnight oil to get a job in Assam Police and finally I got a job as a constable in 20th AP (IR) Bn Panbari, Dhubri and presently I am with 4th APBN Guwahati.”
Tunlai says that if given a proper platform she will be able to bring home good number of medals and “perform better than Hima Das”.