Sarwan Budiya: The Master Coach Who Trains his Nine Year Old niece To Become India’s Usain Bolt
For Sarwan, Pooja Bishnoi is way more than a niece, she is something he always wanted to achieve but could not. So now he is coaching her to become the running prodigy he always desired.
In the domain of athletics, Sarwan Budiya is not a name unheard of. The Ex. Sports Authority Of India(Athlete) has people fawning to click selfies with him at regular sports events. But that’s not what has caught the nation's attention. It’s his commitment to training his nine-year-old niece to ensure she’s how running milestones are known. Quite literally.
For Sarwan, Pooja Bishnoi is way more than a niece, she is something he always wanted to achieve but could not. So now he is coaching her to become the running prodigy he always desired. This Uncle-Niece bond is special, rare, and cathartic, not merely because of the shared admiration but shared dreams, which are visible in the Instagram posts, regularly shared by him.
Born into an agricultural family in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, none of the family members had ever worked for the government before Sarwan. Just like a majority of Indians, Sarwan's father wanted his son to have a life of stability which the government job is conventionally known for. But Sarwan’s heart called for something else. An eternal athlete, Sarwan had been a phenomenon in Gully Cricket ever since he was a toddler. His friends would call his running capabilities alchemy, and he would always end up making the fastest number of runs between wickets. A burning passion, when fueled and reaffirmed by his closest friends made him take his running caliber more seriously. His consistent efforts paid off and he made a name for himself at the National Level.
While he ran for his heart, his father worried about his son’s future. It was then a thought chimed inside Budiya’s brain. Inspired by the western child prodigies, who then went ahead and made a name for themselves in the domain of sports, Sarwan knew what he could do. He had observed his niece Pooja’s affinity for running at a leopard’s pace and his passion transformed to make his niece a prodigy. Children in rural areas in the country know physical labor as closely as they know breathing air. With a vision of transforming physical advantages into a productive one, Sarwan started coaching Pooja.
He had witnessed Pooja defeating almost all her competitors, the majority of which included boys in the running tournaments whenever it took place. With relatives and neighbors taunting in our country being a tale as old as time, he too suffered a fair share of them. An unemployed trainer who’s ruining his and a girl’s life was the crux of the negative comment he received. But who, ever, has turned great by living in the glass ceiling?
The impeccable dedication showed with Pooja emerging victorious at all the State and National Level Competitions, which then caught the eyes of the benevolent sports foundations' who were willing to fund her meritorious journey. With finances giving him a tough call, Sarwan still managed to give Pooja all the dietary and training requirements solely on his own. This was a sigh of relief for him, and inched Pooja and himself, a bit closer to what they had always desired.
With dreams taking a tangible form, Sarwan’s nephew, and Pooja’s brother also started training with him to become an athlete. Sarwan’s vision had always been bigger. He aspired to open a Sports Academy and train the ones with financial hardships. The kids with dreams and hopes but no penny to their name. For Pooja, he visualizes her as the Usain Bolt of India in the upcoming days.
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