'Sweeper' boxer Krishna Rout seeks a job of dignity from Mamata government
4-7-2015 11:25

Former national boxer Krishna Rout, who has been cleaning open drains for the past 15 years as a temporary worker of Howrah Municipal Corporation, on Saturday said he would appeal to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to give him a permanent government job of dignity.

“Earlier I worked for five years as a sweeper of the Corporation, but in 2005 I was given the job of spraying disinfectants in drains which I have been doing for the past ten years,” said the 1987 gold medallist and 1992 silver medallist of the National Boxing Championship.

Krishna RoutBut as luck would have it, life has dealt Krishna Rout a severe blow.

With a temporary job at the Howrah Municipal Corporation for the last 15 years, and earnings of merely 200 a day, Rout has decided to appeal to West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, to give him a permanent government job.

 

“It is difficult to run a family of six including a brother suffering from tuberculosis with the paltry sum of Rs 232 a day,” said Rout who was the winner of the West Bengal State Open Lalchand Rai Memorial Boxing Championship under 40 kg in 1987 improving his runner-up position in the same championship in 1985.

“I’ll soon write a letter to the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking a permanent government job of my stature to live a life of dignity,” said the 43-year-old former boxer who coaches about 150 children of poor families in the morning before he started his daily labour.

“I hope nobody who has a dream suffers like me in life,” Rout said.

 

http://www.rediff.com/sports/report/from-boxing-champ-to-drain-cleaner-krishna-rout-seeks-life-of-dignity/20150704.htm