The Federal impact: Help pours in for blind cricket player S Maharaja

S Maharaja cannot contain his excitement. He has just returned home with a silver medal from the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) World Games. The 23-year-old visually impaired Indian cricket team player was the only one from Tamil Nadu selected to be a part of the national team.

On 18 July, The Federal published a video story documenting this historic moment and showcased his struggles and strengths. Since then, Maharaja has been receiving messages of support and appreciation from people across the state.

"Many media houses had reported my story, but The Federal covered my struggles well. Many well-wishers, who had called to congratulate me, said they didn't even know much about the game, and now they do, and this has piqued their interest in the sport," he said.

Financial support

"I got a call from actor Vishnu Vishal's team. He conveyed his appreciation and extended financial support. He has assured me to fund my education, including academic fees, hostel fees, and has also offered to buy me a laptop, so that I can write competitive exams. This is a huge help because now I can study well while focusing on my game, and this education can help me land a decent job," he added.

Reflecting on the international tournament, Maharaja, a left-arm bowler, said he was quite nervous as this was his first international match. "I didn't like eating just bread and jam every day, and I feel that affected the energy levels on the ground as well. I had set a lot of goals, but I couldn't get as many opportunities. But that's normal for new players. This opportunity also gave me immense exposure, and I am excited to practise some of the new techniques I have learned,” he told The Federal.

Maharaja lost his vision when he was eight years old, which in turn affected his mental health. With the help of his family and friends, he mustered the courage and began getting accustomed to daily chores. He lost his father during the COVID pandemic. Today, his mother's earnings from working under the MGNREGA scheme support his family.

Appeal to Stalin

Reiterating the request he had made earlier, Maharaja told The Federal that he had appealed to Chief Minister MK Stalin to provide him with a government job. He added that players from Gujarat and Odisha have received a decent sum as appreciation for being selected in the national team, and a government job has been assured by the respective states.

However, he hasn't received any promising responses from the Tamil Nadu government.

Cricket is a religion in India, and yet the sport for the blind has been in the dark for years. India has been a consistent champion in the world games held so far, and yet funding is a sticky wicket.

Call for support

"The biggest challenge for players is not having a decent ground with a pitch of international standards to practise on. The Indian government is honouring national players with respectable positions. We would like the same provisions to be given to visually impaired persons. This would be great for us to support ourselves and our families. This will motivate many more players to join the sport," he told The Federal.

The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) too expressed disappointment over the lack of financial support from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).