The occupant of the small tin roof shed in Almatti, a village in Vijayapura district of Karnataka is a national level woman cyclist who has won nearly 20 medals including a gold.
Shahira Attar, 22-years old and a professional cyclist for the last eight years is finding life steeply uphill now.
She has to cope with poverty, aggravated by serious health issues after spinal surgery four months ago. She lives in the shack at a rent of Rs. 700 a month.
Costly road accidentA road accident that occurred while participating in a state-level cycling tournament organized by a private association badly injured her spine.
Her mother, a farm labourer, borrowed Rs. 2 lakh to meet the hospital expenses. “After my father’s demise, my mother is forced to work as a labourer, and my brother had to drop out when he was in 9th standard to support the family,” she says.
Getting back to competitive cycling is Ms. Attar’s top priority, reflecting her passion for the sport.
But doctors say she needs at least a year’s rest and regular treatment before she can make a comeback. She is worried about this as she has no idea how to raise resources for the recommended medical check-ups and to repay the loan taken for surgery.
No official helpMs. Attar alleges that after the accident, neither the Karnataka Cycling Association nor the Department of Sports and Youth Empowerment volunteered to help her.
Raju Biradar, the State General Secretary of Karnataka State Cycling Association said in response, “The Association is not financially sound to help our cyclists. Often we seek sponsorship from donors for our events, and sometimes we even have to pay from our pocket.”
Assuring her of help from official channels and donors, he said the government could give health insurance to all cyclists who are forced to practise on highways.
