After Failed Gender Test, It’s Redemption Time For Patiala’s Santhi

Santhi Soundrajan, the famous middle distance runner who was abodenednd from her medal of Asian Games after she failed a Gender test and quit work as a laborer, will be able to make her dreams come true very soon. She wanted to become a qualified coach for athletics and she will become one soon.

The pain and the suffering through which she has gone will soon turn out to be a thing from the past for her as the Sports authority of India have offered her an opportunity for pursuing a Diploma Course in athletics from the National Institute of sports, Bangalore.

The Sports Authority of India has written a letter to the state government of Tamil Nadu for funding the expenses of the athlete during the commencement of her course.

“Santhi will be taking up a Diploma course from National Institute of Sports, Bangalore for becoming a qualified coach. She has been given an accommodation for her stay at the institute, Patiala where she had been admitted originally for pursuing her course, but now upon her request, we are moving her to Bangalore, as it is more close to her hometown which is in Tamil Nadu,” the DG of the Sports Authority of India, Jiji Thomson said.

“She will be given a room outside the complex of the hostel while she will pursue her Diploma course for 2013-14 which will begin from 3^rd July,” He said.

He also told the Sports Authority of India is awaiting a response from the government of Tamil Nadu’s Chief Secretary Ms/ Sheela Balakrisha on the plea of funding Santhi’s course.

“I wrote a letter to Sheela last week. We are still awaiting a response from her but we are also hoping that the government of Tamil Nadu will initiate in funding the expenses of Santhi.” He added.

It has been a tremulous journey for Santhi by far. She had become the cynosure of the people when she had won the silver medal in the year 2006 in the Doha Asian Games. But after she fails a Gender test, post the victory, she was soon stripped of her medal. She later on was made to work as a laborer in brick kiln in the state of Tamil Nadu.

In 2012 the country and the government woke up after hearing the news of a twenty six year old Santhi slogging an hour’s shift in the burning heat for earning a sum of just two hundred rupees a day.

The union government has taken cognizance of the issue and has promised Santhi that she will be given a seat in the National Institute of Sports, Patiala.

Another official of the Sports Authority of India has informed that she will be spending approximately ten months at NIS complex, Bangalore.

“Her Gender verification has been exposed for her admission for a Diploma course at NIS but some other terms and conditions for the admission will be followed. The DG of SAI, in March, this year, took up the case and protested against the idea of a Gender test and granted her permission for admission to the course in Patiala after him seeked advice from the Union sports minister.” An official told.

Santhi has been banned by the federation of Athletics of India from playing in any national or international competition after she failed the test in 2006.