Khelo India archer suffers brain stroke, family looks to fund her surgery

Vinayak Padmadeo
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 6

Wednesday was perhaps the most trying day for Atul Kumar Choudhary and his family. His daughter Pragati, a young and upcoming compound archer, suffered a brain stroke and had to be hospitalised.

Then came the bigger blow, the estimated bill from the hospital of around Rs 15 lakh for initial treatment and for the impending surgery and treatment.

Pragati has been operated upon and is currently in a coma.

The 16-year-old was taken to the Max Vaishali after she suffered the stroke. Post the checkups and all the tests, Choudhary was left with no option but to ask for help.

The small shop owner has pleaded with sports secretary Ravi Mittal for help and has also applied to get aid on behalf of his daughter under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons scheme.

“...She has recently suffered a brain stroke on May 5, 2020. However, I do not have the financial backup to afford the said treatment. The only income in my family comes from a shop which is rented and yields us Rs 2,50,000 annually. I would be highly obliged if you consider this,” Choudhary wrote asking for help.

Pragati, a Khelo India archer, won three medals – gold in individual event and silver in mixed and team championships in International Solidary Archery Championships that was held in Dhaka last year.

She also won gold medal in both the CBSE and the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) tournament last year.

Archery Association of India (AAI) president and Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda has also asked the sports secretary to intervene in this matter.

“…The total expenditure towards her medical treatment and surgery is quite astronomical and her family is not in a position to bear the expenses,” Munda wrote in his letter.

“Grateful, if the expenditure towards her medical treatment is borne by the Sports Authority of India considering her financial constraints, and she is definitely an asset for the nation,” AAI president added.