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Image Credits: Twitter/@manoj_naandi
'Sports A Poverty Breaker'! Story Of Govt School Student Captaining India's Sailing Team For Olympics Wins Hearts Online
Writer: Laxmi Mohan Kumar
She is an aspiring journalist in the process of learning and unlearning many things. Always up for discussions on everything from popular culture to politics.
Telangana, 31 Jan 2023 1:02 PM GMT
Editor : Jayali Wavhal |
She writes about gender issues, human interest, and environment.
Creatives : Laxmi Mohan Kumar
She is an aspiring journalist in the process of learning and unlearning many things. Always up for discussions on everything from popular culture to politics.
"What are the chances that a Grade 8 girl in a govt school living in a low income community in Hyderabad who has never put foot in a water body…to be Captain of India’s Sailing Team?” read the Twitter post which is now going viral.
A Twitter thread retweeted by Anand Mahindra introduced netizens to the inspiring story of Preeti Kongara. Preeti, the 18-year-old sailor who represented India at the Asian Sailing Games, comes from a humbling background and is a perfect example of the heights one can be taken to through perseverance. Her story, an example of how "sports is a poverty breaker", is now being retweeted by hundreds and moving many more people.
Meet Preeti Kongara of Nallakunta Govt school whom
— Manoj Kumar (@manoj_naandi) January 29, 2023
Team @naandi_india selected from Project @NanhiKali in 2016 & brought to @Suheim to teach her sailing.
Today, she’s India No 1 in the Olympic Mixed Double 470 Class of boat.
Sports is a poverty breaker.
Please 👏 (2/2) pic.twitter.com/fYTt5htVXr
A Rare Talent Found
The tweet, originally shared by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NGO Naandi Foundation, Manoj Kumar, celebrates the success story of Preethi Kongara. Hailing from a low-income background, Preeti's first venture with the waters began at the young age of ten. She was a student at the Nallakunta Government School at the time and received the opportunity to learn sailing at the Yacht Club of Hyderabad. Picking up the sport quite quickly, she soon rose to the ranks of Captaining India's Sailing Team. Writing about her achievement, Manoj Kumar said, "What are the chances that a Grade 8 girl in a government school living in a low-income community in Hyderabad who has never put foot in a water body…to be Captain of India's Sailing Team?"
This is one of the most inspiring stories I have read in recent times.
— Manoj Kumar (@manoj_naandi) January 29, 2023
What are the chances that a grade 8 girl in a government school living in a low income community in Hyderabad who never put foot in a water body…to be Captain of India’s Sailing Team? (1/2) pic.twitter.com/pAA23sNcZr
Speaking praises about her hard work, Manoj Kumar conveyed that Preeti was among the few students selected under Project Nanhi Kali in 2016. Today she is India's top performer in the senior category of the Olympic Mixed Double 470 Class of boat and clinched the gold during the Sailing Asian Games Trials. He concluded the thread by saying, "Sports is a poverty breaker."
The original tweet retweeted by Anand Mahindra received over 1,98,000 views and hundreds of responses. It brought a lot of praise and appreciation toward the girl and the foundation for finding the hidden sports talent in the country. Anand Mahindra himself called Preeti's story "truly a 'Rise' story." He also expressed his interest in meeting Preeti and receiving coaching on sailing from her someday.
Also Read: Plight Of Athletes! Indian Hockey Player's Family Lives In Kutcha House With No Water, Electricity
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