Who would have thought when they looked at 19-year-old Ayesha Noor receiving the gold medal at the Thai Pitchai International Youth Karate Championship in Thailand last October that she had fought extreme poverty and poor health to be where she was? But put the shy, thin girl into the ring and she becomes a world beater, as her Japanese counterpart in 30-35kg category at the tournament realised.
"She is a completely different personality once she hits the ring, and the fighter in her takes over," says her coach M A Ali. Noor's journey from the humble shanty in the Padmapukur area of South Kolkata to the international youth karate championship in Thailand has been arduous yet exemplary. "She had to fight a dual battle of ill health and poverty," informs her coach. Noor has suffered epileptic fits from her childhood and could not even continue with her education due to it.
Her father's death five years ago left Noor's mother with four children and no source of income. Noor's elder brother dropped out of school and began to work as a daily-wage earner in the local market. Even the Rs 130 that he brought home daily was meagre in the face of Noor's huge medical liabilities. Her medications alone cost Rs 2,200 per month.
When she got the opportunity to participate in the tournament in Thailand, her family couldn't afford the travel expenditure. "However," says her coach, "the local media took up her story and she got help from individuals, clubs and NGOs and we were able to collect the funds needed for the trip."
After Noor's victory in the 40-nation tournament, fame followed, but no financial has assistance came her way to release her from the necessity of having to search for money for basic needs and medications. An exasperated Ali was hopeful that things would change when he got a call from the Union sports ministry saying it would felicitate the young champion. "After the initial communication, the ministry officials kept delaying the felicitation on the ground that state elections were being held. Now they have stopped responding to my calls," says Ali.
Noor keeps her spirit high even among such adversities. "I want to teach karate to other girls who are in penurious circumstances like me," she says. Accordingly, she helps her coach teach karate to girls free of cost at a nearby park every Sunday as part of a campaign called 'Mission Against Rape and Crime' that Ali has come up following the national anger over the gang rape of Nirbhaya in New Delhi. The intention is to arm the girls with defence techniques. "Girls are better fighter than boys," remarks Noor.
The teenager is keen to participate and defend her title in this year's karate tournament in Thailand. But given her pitiable financial condition, the chances seem dim. "We need support from individuals, clubs, corporations as well as the government to help Noor continue to win in the ring," says Ali. "We need to share her bigger struggles as a part of our social responsibility."
"She is a completely different personality once she hits the ring, and the fighter in her takes over," says her coach M A Ali. Noor's journey from the humble shanty in the Padmapukur area of South Kolkata to the international youth karate championship in Thailand has been arduous yet exemplary. "She had to fight a dual battle of ill health and poverty," informs her coach. Noor has suffered epileptic fits from her childhood and could not even continue with her education due to it.
Her father's death five years ago left Noor's mother with four children and no source of income. Noor's elder brother dropped out of school and began to work as a daily-wage earner in the local market. Even the Rs 130 that he brought home daily was meagre in the face of Noor's huge medical liabilities. Her medications alone cost Rs 2,200 per month.
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With some financial support from sports clubs and individuals, Noor took to the sport of karate. Ali would take Noor to the suburbs of the city, where she would be made to pummel a banana tree instead of a punching bag. She practised for hours every day, and despite her poor health, she doggedly kept at it.
When she got the opportunity to participate in the tournament in Thailand, her family couldn't afford the travel expenditure. "However," says her coach, "the local media took up her story and she got help from individuals, clubs and NGOs and we were able to collect the funds needed for the trip."
After Noor's victory in the 40-nation tournament, fame followed, but no financial has assistance came her way to release her from the necessity of having to search for money for basic needs and medications. An exasperated Ali was hopeful that things would change when he got a call from the Union sports ministry saying it would felicitate the young champion. "After the initial communication, the ministry officials kept delaying the felicitation on the ground that state elections were being held. Now they have stopped responding to my calls," says Ali.
Noor keeps her spirit high even among such adversities. "I want to teach karate to other girls who are in penurious circumstances like me," she says. Accordingly, she helps her coach teach karate to girls free of cost at a nearby park every Sunday as part of a campaign called 'Mission Against Rape and Crime' that Ali has come up following the national anger over the gang rape of Nirbhaya in New Delhi. The intention is to arm the girls with defence techniques. "Girls are better fighter than boys," remarks Noor.
The teenager is keen to participate and defend her title in this year's karate tournament in Thailand. But given her pitiable financial condition, the chances seem dim. "We need support from individuals, clubs, corporations as well as the government to help Noor continue to win in the ring," says Ali. "We need to share her bigger struggles as a part of our social responsibility."