S.Kannan in Paris
From Tokyo to Paris, the comeback for Manu Bhaker has been fantastic. Spare a thought for personal coach Jaspal Rana, who broke down on Sunday afternoon while speaking to RevSportz on the Hindi YouTube show where two of my colleagues were also on air.
“I did nothing wrong,” said Jaspal. He repeated it twice. Maybe, his words were unclear. By the time I had interviewed him the second time with my colleague Gargi Raut, late evening, Jaspal opened up. “I have done nothing. This medal is for India and Manu Bhaker. I mean, I just did it out of passion for her,” said Jaspal.
He did give many interviews on Sunday but one reality which people do not understand in this euphoria is he has been jobless for three years. “Anna, since the time I was slammed by so many people after Tokyo, I have no job. Yes, I have been coaching people coming to my academy in Dehradun, that’s not something like a formal job contract I have,” said the Dronacharya Awardee.
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Manu Bhaker’s Coach Jaspal Rana EXCLUSIVE:
Redemption song – Well done, Jaspal Rana. Two more events to go.@AgeasFederal @jaspalrana2806 @realmanubhaker #ManuBhaker #ParisOlympics2024 #BlueRev pic.twitter.com/FuzUDxkbwJ
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) July 28, 2024
More probing, and Jaspal was brutal. “All those who abused me, made me a villain after Tokyo, when I was not even present there are now wanting interviews from me. No problem, I did interviews, but are these people going to make up my losses in life at large,” he said. It became more like Jaspal was asking me a question.
“I am nobody, I just did a job Manu wanted me to help her out with. But are people aware I have had no monthly salary from the National Rifle Association of India or any other agency over the last three years? I am more than happy Manu has shown what she can do, I only tapped into her potential. I need to go back to India and start afresh. I need to find a job to earn money,” said Jaspal, brutally honest.
He has spent three years in near wilderness, till last June, when Manu and her family reached out to him. It looks rosy now, he is the coach of an Olympic medal winner. But that does not get Jaspal a salary for sustenance. “When I got this Olympics accreditation card from the IOA, thanks to PT Usha Madam and Captain Ajay Narang, I was happy. I am thankful to them. But I know what all hurdles I faced even after that,” revealed Jaspal.
He is honest, almost to a point of brutality. “The way I work, I don’t impose my views on the shooter. These days, kids are smart, they know what to do. I only tried to tweak a few things and it’s my commitment to Manu Bhaker that I will guide her in this Olympic campaign. There are two more matches,” he explained.
Will he not be part of celebration ceremonies when Manu returns to India, finally. “Manu is the star, I am just a jobless coach. Anna, I am nobody. Manu made me relevant by asking me to help her. I need to find a job soon, these three years have been very tough for me. I never wanted to talk about this, but you wanted my story, so hear it. Anyone going to get me a job, I have to ask around when I get back to India,” he reiterated.
And he was quick to add: “I never did anything wrong, I was not even in Tokyo. Can people who abused me and trolled me get me back my peace? No. never,” was Jaspal’s caustic sign off.
Can you imagine, a coach who won the Dronacharya Award gets no salary, no perks. The NRAI does not pay him, the SAI does not pay him. “I don’t know what is in store in my life, I will wait till I return to India. Till Manu finishes her last two matches, I will be around. Just because you, Anna, asked me, I am saying all this. I need a job, to be unemployed for three years hurts,” he said, again choking during the conversation.
Also Read: Manu Bhaker – from desperate failure in Tokyo to podium in Paris