Fund-raiser for international para archery champion Satendr Mirey to prepare for 2022 Asian Games

Lack of funds for training and equipment is coming in the way of Satendr Kumar Mirey, the disabled para archery champion from rural Chhattisgarh. Satyendra has done well in many international championships but has been unable to train for a few years now as he does not have the funds.

From a small village in Chhattisgarh’s Bemetara district to representing India internationally, Satendr Kumar Mirey’s rise as a para archery champion has all the makings of a fairy tale. However, lack of funds is coming in the way of this talented sportsman.

Satendr’s skills were first spotted by Dharmendra Madale, the well-known coach at the National Institute of Sports in 2012. Madale started supporting and coaching Satendr free of cost and even took a loan to buy him an archery kit. This enabled Satendr to qualify to represent India at the Para Olympic Games INCHEON 2014 in South Korea. He was ranked number 2 among those who qualified from India and secured 20th place at the event.

Satendra unable to train for lack of kit

Since then he has been unable to practice as he needs a compound kit which costs over 2.5 lakh rupees.

I come from a poor background and I don’t have the means to afford the kit. I have been struggling since 2014. I missed the 2016 Olympic trials and the Indonesian Para Games trials in 2018 as I did not have the equipment. I have approached the local MPs and other political leaders for help but have got no support. – Satendr Kumar Mirey, Para archery champion

Satendr has also petitioned the Prime Minister’s Office twice for support. “I wrote to the PMO in 2017 and 2019. The PMO responded both times with letters saying my petition has been forwarded to the Sports Ministry but I have not heard anything”, he says.

Appeals to political leaders ignored

He has now pinned his hopes on a fund-raising campaign started on GoFundMe. Among those backing him is Chitrasen Sahu, the well-known double leg amputee mountaineer.

“All his appeals to the government have been ignored”, says Chitrasen, who is India’s first double leg amputee to scale Mount Kilimanjaro. “The government agreed to support the federation but not him. This will not help as the federation has few archery kits as it is”.

The training facility in Raipur is also very far from Satendr’s village making it difficult for him to travel. “His coach lives closer to his village so with adequate funds he can get the support he needs close by”, adds Chitrasen.

Satendr hopes that the fund-raising campaign will help him achieve his next target and that is the 2022 Asian Games. “I want to represent India and I pray that people will listen to my appeal”.

If you would like to know more about the fund raising campaign for Satendr Kumar Mirey, click here

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