Telangana Social Welfare college students face financial struggles ahead of Asian softball championship

Selected to represent India at 4th Asian Universities Women Softball Asia Cup Taichung 2024, Taiwan, the three students belonging to economically weaker sections from Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society are facing a tough challenge

Hyderabad: In sharp contrast to tall claims of the Congress government of promoting sports and games as a priority in the State, the struggle of three women sportspersons reveal a troubling reality.

Selected to represent India at 4th Asian Universities Women Softball Asia Cup Taichung 2024, Taiwan, the three students belonging to economically weaker sections – Guguloth Mamatha, Lakavath Rani and Ajmera Indu – from Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society are facing a tough challenge.

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The three sportswomen cannot afford airfare to attend the game scheduled to be held from October 15 and are forced to seek financial assistance.

According to sources, 16 students, including four from Telangana with three from the Society, were selected for the game. Despite their talent and hardwork over the years, the pleas of the students for financial assistance of Rs.1.5 lakh each from the Society have fallen on the deaf ears. Presently, these students are pursuing their undergraduation from the social welfare residential degree colleges for women.

Now, their dreams of competing at the international level hang in the balance as they must depart on October 12 to be able to take part in the game. According to sources, a letter from Advisor to Government (Agriculture) Pocharam Srinivas Reddy requesting the society to arrange the amount did not yield a positive response.

Worried at her participation in the tournament, one of the students said they explained the prominence of the game to the secretary, but all their efforts went in vain.

“My family is into farming and cannot afford the airfare charges. We appealed to society to provide financial assistance but nothing has come till now. Last time when we got selected for competition in China, the BRS government promptly extended Rs.1.90 lakh financial assistance,” she said.