Sukhna Lake changed my life, says Dhyan Chand awardee international rower

Deepankar Sharda
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 17

International rower Manjeet Singh, who was recently bestowed with the Dhyan Chand award, was in the city today.

Manjeet, who hails from Isa Panj Grian in Ferozepur district, is a DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, pass out and has won his first medal while playing from the city.

“A visit to Sukhna Lake changed my entire life. I had never thought of becoming a rower. I would come here (Sukhna Lake) daily to watch young kids rowing at a stretch,” he said.

“After moving to Chandigarh, I was rather more interested in playing some field sport. But on friends’ insistence, I got myself registered with the Chandigarh Rowing Association (CRA) at the age of 16. My coach Arvind Sehgal saw me practicing for nearly two months and helped me in getting elected for the Junior National at Roorkee. I ended with winning a silver medal in Junior Men (JM) 4 category.”

He is one of the most decorated rowers of India, who had played in the Beijing Olympics, 2008, won two silver medals in the Asian Games, 2010 and represented India in the London Olympics, 2012. Over his Dhyan Chand award win, Manjeet said it was the greatest honour of his life.

“If the CRA had not introduced me to rowing, I would not have been a recipient of this award,” he said. Rajiv Sharma, general secretary, CRA, honoured him with a memento.