Anxious Calls From "Threatened" Parents Greet Archer Pravin Jadhav Upon His Return From Tokyo

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Tuesday, 3rd August 2021

When Indian archer Pravin Jadhav returned from his first Olympics, he received worried calls from his family members, who had been warned by "jealous neighbours" not to renovate their tin house. The 25-year-old stood out in an otherwise disappointing performance in Tokyo, finishing ahead of his senior India teammates Atanu Das and Tarundeep Rai in the ranking round. The performance earned him a surprise invitation to partner world number one Deepika Kumari in the mixed pair event, where they finished in the last eight instead of her regular partner and husband, Das. However, all was not well back home in the small village of Sarade, where his neighbours were jealous of his newfound celebrity and began making threats, according to Jadhav upon his return.

"About five-six members of the family came in the morning and started threatening my parents, cousin, and aunt because we wanted to renovate the tin house," Jadhav, who was eliminated in the second round of the individual section after losing to world number one Brady Ellison, told PTI.

The Jadhav family used to live in a hut, but after he joined the Army, they built a concrete house with a tin roof.

"In the past, they had also caused issues and wanted a separate lane, which we had agreed to." However, they are now exceeding all boundaries. How can they prevent us from renovating?

"They are simply envious of us. We own the property and have lived there for generations. We have all of the land records."

When they returned, the Indian team went straight to Sonepat, Haryana, for an India camp in preparation for the World Championships next month. They will be subjected to new trials beginning Wednesday.

"My family is very upset, and I am unable to be with them. I've informed Army officials of this, and they're looking into it "He stated.

Ajay Kumar Bansal, the SP of Satara district, has promised the Jadhav family full assistance.

Jadhav's journey to represent India on the biggest stage has been remarkable. He is the son of a daily wage labourer in Maharashtra's drought-stricken Satara district. Before things improved for the Jadhav family, he was about to join his father as a daily wage labourer.

To make ends meet, his father had told him that he had to drop out after seventh grade and join him at the construction site where he himself worked.

However, at the insistence of a sports teacher at his Zilla Parishad School, he switched to athletics in search of a better living before discovering archery by chance at the Krida Prabodhini hostel in Ahmednagar.

Following that, he was selected by the Army Sports Institute in Pune and hasn't looked back since.

The News Talkie Bureau

Source

NDTV