New Indian Express: Rio Bound Women’s Hockey Team Member Seeks Job

NEW DELHI: Is hard work good enough to get a job? Savita Punia has been trying to find an answer for the last few years.

One of the key members of the Indian women’s hockey team, which booked a place in the Rio Olympics few days back, Punia has been running from pillar to post for the last few years to fetch herself a job. While all her teammates are employed, she is the only one in the present team, to not have a job.

And even after donning the national colours for seven years, Punia has no other options but to rely on her parents to run the show. While her father is a pharmacist at a government health centre in Haryana, mother is a home-maker, and even at 25, Punia is dependent on them. “At times, I really feel ashamed to take any financial help from the parents, but I also need money. I really don’t know, when this wait will be over,” a flummoxed Punia told Express.
The goalie, who played an important role in helping India finish fifth at the World Hockey Series in Antwerp, was told that the Haryana government would give her a job under the ‘Medal Lao, Naukri Pao’ scheme, but nothing has gone in her favour. “I have only been given assurances by the government officers. For the last three years, that’s what I have been living on,” Punia added.

Hailing from the Sirsa district, Punia has already appeared in 110 international games, and has proved her mettle over the years. While the veterans and the former players are all praise for the goalie, Punia only hopes that things will change for the better. “I am not asking for anything out of the box. All I need is a job, and if my teammates are awarded with jobs, why can’t I get one? Is it too much to ask for?,” she questioned.

She is not someone who would ‘request’ anyone for a job, but circumstances has made him do that as well. “I have approached quite a few senior government officials to know about the status of the job, but the responses have been really cold,” she explained.

Even though erstwhile Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had gone on record saying that Punia will ‘soon’ be given a job, nothing was done by the sports department. Now even after the new government coming to power, things haven’t changed a bit. “In today’s time, it’s so difficult to live without a job. Despite playing for India, I have to borrow money from parents. At this age, I should be the one looking after them, but it’s just the opposite in my case,” a dejected Punia averred.

Creating a new record by qualifying for the Olympics after 36 years, the Indian women are basking in the glory, and Punia just hopes to get lucky, this time around!