Junior paddler Swastika Gosh facing financial crisis in Mumbai due to lockdown

World number five junior pdler Swastika Ghosh is facing acute financial crisis due to coronavirus-forced lockdown and her family is contemplating returning to her native place near here as y are struggling to even pay room rent in Mumbai.

Swastika's far Sandeep, who is also her coach-cum-training partner, is rendered jobless for more than four months and he is finding it difficult to pay rent of house y are staying at Navi Mumbai.

Sandeep was a table tennis coach at DAV Public School at Nerul but since lockdown, he is under " work, pay". He has been forced to spend all his provident fund savings to make ends meet.

"Everyday Swastika needs food supplements worth about Rs 1200 to compensate for her six hours' training. Everything has stopped w and if lockdown continues like this we may have to quit and return to Bengal," Level 2 coach, who has been in Mumbai since 1992, told PTI.

"I h about Rs 60,000 left in my provident fund that also I've spent and later borrowed some money from my in-laws. We are left with saving w and re's way I can fund her training expense w."

He said family was thinking of going back to ir native place at Andul, a suburb of Kolkata.

"At least we have a shelter re." he said. 

"I just hope that school reopens and training resumes soon, orwise everything is doomed for us," 52-year-old said.

Having become cet national champion at nine years of in Ajmer 2013, Swastika me rapid strides in last two years, improving her world junior rankings from 278 in January 2018 to a career-best fifth in April this year.

Swastika is currently top-ranked Indian junior with national champion Diya Chitale a distant 38 in TTFI world rankings.

"It's result of her exposure in Golden and Premier Series meets over last two years. She has won about eight bronze medals at international level. But w we are uncertain what future holds for her."

Sandeep said he h written to both central and state government, apart from Maharashtra federation but re's been " response" yet.

"I h written to sports minister Kiren Rijiju and state sports department here but re has been response. Even Maharashtra federation is turning a deaf ear to our plight."

only help y have got is from Bengal Chamber which is funding her with Rs one lakh through a charity musical event.

"It will be quite a help and will run for a few months. I just hope situation rmalises by n and we are back at training," said Sandeep.

If all goes well, Swastika is targeting a medal at World Junior Championships in Guimaraes, Portugal, from vember 29-December 6.

"It will be history if she wins a world championship medal. We will try our best. next target is to do well at youth level and make cut at senior level. If she improves her ranking at least Ministry can consider her including in TOP Scheme," Sandeep said.