Former Punjab hockey player Paramjeet Kumar is doing all in his power to make ends meet on a daily basis and provide for his family. The 30-year-old is lifting 450 sacks a day, earning Rs 1.25 per sack at the Faridkot mandi in Punjab. In his hockey career that hit a roadblock after injury, Paramjeet represented the Sports Authority of India, PEPSU and Punjab teams and earned multiple medals.
"It’s my daily routine to load and unload sacks from trucks and I get Rs 1.25 for each sack," The Indian Express quoted Paramjeet as saying.
"Where I work, not many know about hockey, but when they get to know, they always pat me on the back and that’s the only reward I have got from hockey. When I return home, I see my five-year-old son Vikrant and I make him play with a plastic hockey and ball. Whatever happened to me, I want him to change that." he added.
Paramjeet's life changed completely after he sustained an injury to his left hand and had to spend more than one year away from the sport. After recovering, he made a comeback and played state-level hockey before he began lifting sacks in 2015. Currently, the 30-year-old is survived by his wife and son while he stays in his sister's rented accommodation.
Paramjeet is now hoping to make a return to hockey as a player or coach and dreams of seeing his son play for India one day.
"After the injury, it has been a struggle to make a comeback. I had to work as a 'palledar' (one who loads and unloads rice and wheat 50 kg sacks from trucks) at the mandi to make ends meet. I hope to return as a player soon or get a job as a coach. If I could do that, I can be a good example for my son and maybe he can play for India one day which I could not," Paramjeet said.
