Andhra Pradesh Masters Swimming Association and Youth Welfare, a socio-cultural outfit, jointly demanded bestowing of coveted Arjuna award to octogenarian Olympian swimmer Shamsher Khan of Guntur District.
In a meeting held here on Monday, they made a plea to government to accord the award to Mr. Shamsher, who took part in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and finished fifth in the qualifiers.
“He is the first Indian swimmer to take part in Olympics. He is not properly looked after the society as he is struggling to make both ends meet. He participated in both breast stroke and butterfly events at Melbourne Olympics,” said Mr. Lakshmi Narayana Reddy, secretary, A.P. Masters’ Swimming Association.
Mr. Shamsher set a national record in the 200m butterfly in 1954 and broke all records at the national meet in Bangalore in 1955, thus qualifying for the Olympics.
“When the country showered crores of rupees as rewards to Sakshi Malik and P.V. Sindhu, we all felt happy but we felt sad that no honour was accorded this unsung sporting hero of yesteryear who set the pool ablaze during his heydays,” said Youth Welfare honorary president Abdul Rahim.
He said the campaign taken up the association in social media to highlight the plight of the Olympian was met with huge success as many came forward to render a helping hand to the swimmer. “Crescent Real Estate chairman and a senior volleyball player Khader Basha donated Rs One Lakh to the swimmer,” he added.
Mr. Reddy said that the A.P. Masters Swimming Association was organising a felicitation to the swimming veteran on September 24 at Hyderabad in which many sports administrators and swimmers will take part. “We will be donating Rs one lakh to him,” he pointed out.
As a swimmer Shamsher excelled in several disciples and broke many records but in real life he is still swimming against the tide to keep himself afloat.
The ageing veteran is yet to get a ration card which the Guntur district administration promised several years ago. “I still carry the receipt but the card is yet to reach me,” said the distraught swimmer.
