NEW DELHI: One of India’s most decorated para coaches and five-time Paralympian, Farman Basha, whose indomitable spirit was hailed by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his interaction with the contingent members upon their return from the Tokyo Paralympics, has threatened to return his government awards and honours, including the Arjuna he was conferred with in 2007, over the Sports Authority of India‘s (SAI) refusal to renew his coaching contact, citing the recruitment rules (RRs) of ‘Coach Cadre’.
Basha, a veteran para powerlifter, who recently returned with six individual medals – including four silver – in both the Masters and Open categories at the Asia-Oceania World Para Powerlifting Championships in South Korea’s Pyeongtaek, has knocked on the doors of the PM’s office (PMO) with his plea to direct SAI to grant him contract extension so that “I can continue training my athletes to win medals for India”. Basha, a three-time Para Asian Games medallist (2010, ’14 & ’18) and an Arjuna and Ekalavya awardee (2008), is the only para powerlifting coach on contract associated with the SAI since August 31, 2015 at its National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in Bengaluru.
Ironically, he was honoured with the ‘Best Coach’ award for the year 2017-18 & 2018-19, by the SAI on November 17, 2021. And, three months later – on February 14, 2022 – he was informed through an official communication that his contract won’t be renewed, which eventually expired on February 28. Then, on May 25, he and four other coaches, were directed by the SAI NCoE in Bengaluru to vacate their official quarters on or before June 5, after settling their HRA and other expenses for the period from March 1 to May 31.
“For the past three months, I have been training my athletes without pay so that it does not hinder their fitness and performance levels for the upcoming international tournaments, including the Birmingham CWG. I am disheartened to say that all my efforts have yielded no results. I am lost as to how I can continue training my athletes any further. This clearly seems to be a case of discrimination against a disabled athlete which saddens me a lot. I feel I deserve a permanent coaching job in SAI for all the achievements and laurels I have secured for the country as an athlete and a coach,” Basha, whose international powerlifting career spans to close to three decades, wrote in his letter to the PM.
When contacted, the SAI, in a statement, told TOI: “Earlier, SAI had advertised four vacancies in the grade of coach (Level-10) for Paralympians on 01.01.2021 but Basha has not applied against the above advertisement. The recruitment rules (RRs) of Coach Cadre have been revised with effect from 01.02.2021. Due to change in RRs, vacancy of coaches in various grades needs to be filled up on new terms & conditions as mandated in the new RRs. In the matter of Basha, his contract was not extended beyond 28.02.2022 and it was decided that he may be requested to apply against the regular vacancies of Paralympian as and when they are published by SAI following new RRs.”
Basha, in response to SAI’s assertion, told TOI: “I don’t know when this rule change came into play. Earlier, the norm had been that the names of the coaches on contract would be recommended by the regional director (RD) of the concerned NCoE to the SAI headquarters in Delhi and the same would be approved by the competent authority. This time also, I thought that the same process was followed. Shall I concentrate on my career and training athletes, or visit the SAI’s website daily to check for any new advertisements or notifications? Even if there is an oversight on my part, I humbly, with folded hands, request the SAI officials in Delhi to consider my case on humanitarian grounds and grant me extension. Else, I would be left with no choice but to return my government awards and honours, including the Arjuna, and sit on a protest in Delhi.”
Basha has produced some of the country’s finest para powerlifters in Sakina Khatun, Ramubhai, Joby Mathew and Abdul Salaam, among others. In fact, Sakina is the only female para-athlete in Indian history to win a medal at the CWG – a bronze in Glasgow 2014 – and had finished a creditable fifth in Tokyo in the women’s 50kg category.
Basha, a veteran para powerlifter, who recently returned with six individual medals – including four silver – in both the Masters and Open categories at the Asia-Oceania World Para Powerlifting Championships in South Korea’s Pyeongtaek, has knocked on the doors of the PM’s office (PMO) with his plea to direct SAI to grant him contract extension so that “I can continue training my athletes to win medals for India”. Basha, a three-time Para Asian Games medallist (2010, ’14 & ’18) and an Arjuna and Ekalavya awardee (2008), is the only para powerlifting coach on contract associated with the SAI since August 31, 2015 at its National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in Bengaluru.
Ironically, he was honoured with the ‘Best Coach’ award for the year 2017-18 & 2018-19, by the SAI on November 17, 2021. And, three months later – on February 14, 2022 – he was informed through an official communication that his contract won’t be renewed, which eventually expired on February 28. Then, on May 25, he and four other coaches, were directed by the SAI NCoE in Bengaluru to vacate their official quarters on or before June 5, after settling their HRA and other expenses for the period from March 1 to May 31.
“For the past three months, I have been training my athletes without pay so that it does not hinder their fitness and performance levels for the upcoming international tournaments, including the Birmingham CWG. I am disheartened to say that all my efforts have yielded no results. I am lost as to how I can continue training my athletes any further. This clearly seems to be a case of discrimination against a disabled athlete which saddens me a lot. I feel I deserve a permanent coaching job in SAI for all the achievements and laurels I have secured for the country as an athlete and a coach,” Basha, whose international powerlifting career spans to close to three decades, wrote in his letter to the PM.
When contacted, the SAI, in a statement, told TOI: “Earlier, SAI had advertised four vacancies in the grade of coach (Level-10) for Paralympians on 01.01.2021 but Basha has not applied against the above advertisement. The recruitment rules (RRs) of Coach Cadre have been revised with effect from 01.02.2021. Due to change in RRs, vacancy of coaches in various grades needs to be filled up on new terms & conditions as mandated in the new RRs. In the matter of Basha, his contract was not extended beyond 28.02.2022 and it was decided that he may be requested to apply against the regular vacancies of Paralympian as and when they are published by SAI following new RRs.”
Basha, in response to SAI’s assertion, told TOI: “I don’t know when this rule change came into play. Earlier, the norm had been that the names of the coaches on contract would be recommended by the regional director (RD) of the concerned NCoE to the SAI headquarters in Delhi and the same would be approved by the competent authority. This time also, I thought that the same process was followed. Shall I concentrate on my career and training athletes, or visit the SAI’s website daily to check for any new advertisements or notifications? Even if there is an oversight on my part, I humbly, with folded hands, request the SAI officials in Delhi to consider my case on humanitarian grounds and grant me extension. Else, I would be left with no choice but to return my government awards and honours, including the Arjuna, and sit on a protest in Delhi.”
Basha has produced some of the country’s finest para powerlifters in Sakina Khatun, Ramubhai, Joby Mathew and Abdul Salaam, among others. In fact, Sakina is the only female para-athlete in Indian history to win a medal at the CWG – a bronze in Glasgow 2014 – and had finished a creditable fifth in Tokyo in the women’s 50kg category.
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