Ashwini Akkunji rises above doping controversy to live Olympic dream

Shweta Nair — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 10:38:00 +0530

Ashwini's upbringing was not a bed of roses. The sprint queen would run barefoot to school, the uneven roads was never a bother; in fact, it became her first-ever practise track. Nourishing herself with vegetables, rice porridge and occasionally some fish, Ashwini toiled hard to make her mark in the sporting world.

Hardships in life shaped this rising star's resolve to overcome any challenge that was thrown at her.

The youngest child of Yashoda Shetty Akkunji and BR Chidananda Shetty, Ashwini was brought up in a Kannada-speaking family along with her elder siblings Amith and Dipti. After completing her education, Ashwini was employed with the Indian Railways and later began working as a manager in Corporation Bank, Patiala, Punjab.

The Indian sprint athlete from Gensale village in Udupi district shot to fame after her heroic performance at the Delhi Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2010 and the Guangzhou Asiad 2010.

Sadly, her parents could not watch her gold medal victory at the 2010 CWG event because of a power cut at their home which disrupted the cable connection.

After her gold win at the 2010 Asian Games for 400m hurdles, Ashwini rightfully earned the nickname Gensale Express.

Ashwini exhibited an excellent performance at the 54th National Inter-State Athletics Championships in 2014. Even in the searing heat of Lucknow, Akkunji set a new record of 57.43 seconds in the 400m hurdles event.

Like every other rising star, controversies marred Ashwini’s life. In July 2011, she tested positive for anabolic steroids prior to the Asian Athletics Championships in Japan. She denied the charges but was banned from athletics for a year by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA).

“All these years I faced a lot of difficulty in life. Mentally and emotionally it was very difficult but faith and patience kept me going. The Olympic qualification will help me forget the past and bring out my best. My morale will be up,” said Ashwini to Deccan Chronicle.

Less than a year ago, Ashwini got engaged to MBA graduate Abhijit Rai who also has a background in sports. Rai, who works with Accenture in Bangalore, had represented his college in shot put at the national level.

It's not just her husband, her in-laws too are sports enthusiasts. Ashwini's father-in-law was a national-level kabaddi player and now heads the Dakshina Kannada District Kabaddi Association.

60 students fall ill after consuming midday meals in Chitradurga

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 11:48:00 +0530

Chitradurga: As many as 60 students fell ill after consuming midday meal in Channabasaiahnahatti Primary School in Challakere taluk of Chitradurga district, Karnataka. Several students complained of stomach ache, vomiting and uneasiness minutes after consuming the food served in the midday meal. School teachers with the help of some villagers rushed the students to community health centres and district hospital. Over 250 students consumed the midday meal but about 60 students complained of stomach irritation. Due to the shortage of beds in the hospitals, most of the students were made to sleep on the floor, complained the parents of students who fell ill. The community health centre is said to have only 30 beds. As many as 3 students were made to lie on a single bed for treatment. Authorities suspect the presence of a lizard in the midday meal which led to students falling ill after consuming it. One of the students found a dead lizard in the food and the sample has been sent for investigation. The cries of parents and students filled the hospital atmosphere. This constituency comes under health minister B Srimalulu. Nayakanahatti Police have filed a complaint and are investigating the matter. This is the second such incident in four months. A similar incident had taken place on July 17 this year in the same school and more than 70 students had taken ill after consuming midday meals. The negligence of the authorities and the concerned people has resulted in students falling ill. Cases of students falling ill after consuming midday meals are on the rise across the state and cases are reported every two months. Parents complain that negligence of authorities has resulted in such cases and they are yet indifferent to the problems of the students and parents. It’s high time the authorities wake up and take note of the menace. Students falling ill after consuming midday meals have become a common problem across the state.

Asianet Newsable

Ashwini Akkunji rises above doping controversy to live Olympic dream

60 students fall ill after consuming midday meals in Chitradurga