Avtar Singh, the sole judo representative from India this year, is set for a face-off at the Rio Olympics next month.
His event in the 90-kg weight category will be on August 10, making him the 8th judoka to have ever represented India at the Olympics.
While the country is looking up to him to win India’s first judo medal, his parents have so far not been fortunate enough to watch any of his matches so far.
Hailing from Gurudaspur, the 24-year old champion comes from a humble background. His father works as office help in a local hospital and his mother is a home maker. The parents battled financial hurdles for years to ensure that the athlete’s phenomenal talent did not go waste due to a lack of funding.
Shingara Singh, Avtar’s father said, “I had a very small salary and there was no money for Avtaar’s training. I felt helpless that couldn’t fulfill my son’s dream. We have never watched his matches in person, only seen him fight on television.”
Milaap.org, India’s largest crowdfunding platform has joined hands with Mother Dairy and Green Bench to raise Rs. 8,00,000 to fulfill the parents’ wish to see him fight for the first time.
The estimated amount will cover the airfare for Avtar’s parents to Rio, their hotel costs, visa fees, daily expenses and other transport costs. Considering that the prestigious international competition is next month, the funds have to be raised by July 31.
