Nagoya, Sep 24 A part of the history-scripting Asian Games double sculls bronze-winning pair, rower Salman Khan was an Uber cab driver on the Delhi NCR roads nine years ago before exchanging the steering with the oars.
Salman and Satnam Singh on Thursday won India’s first-ever men’s double sculls medal at the Asian Games, a bronze.
But before that, Salman was criss-crossing the Delhi NCR roads in his WagonR to sustain his family after his father’s death.
“Yes, after my father’s death in 2016, I had to look after my family as I am the eldest sibling. So, I worked as an Uber driver with a WagonR with me,” Salman told PTI after he and Satnam won India’s lone medal in rowing.
“I did it for just one year, that was in 2017. While working as Uber driver, I also keep on filling recruitment forms for the Indian Army.”
One year later, he made it to the Indian Army, which was also a dream come true, as his late father had wanted him to join the defence forces.
“It was my father’s dream for me to join Indian Army, which I was able to fulfill,” said the rower from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
“Joining Indian Army led to taking up rowing and now I am here,” he said about his achievement.
For 28-year-old Salman, who won his maiden Asian Games medal, the rowing journey began in 2018 after he joined the Bombay Engineering Group of Indian Army.
Coaches Satywan, Satish Siraat and Prabhat Mishra introduced him to rowing and selected him for centre’s team.
Salman twice came close to giving up the sport, but his coaches encouraged him to continue. He won gold at 2022 National Games in Gujarat. He was subsequently inducted into the Army Rowing Node, where he trained under senior coach Kudrat Ali.
In 2023, Salman won gold at Senior Nationals and Open Sprint Nationals.
On the controversy surrounding the rowing team, Salman said the change of crew members in the last minute affected the performance of the rowers.
“Had we trained together longer, we would have won the gold. The Chinese team did not deserve the gold,” Salman said.
“Everything happened suddenly, but there is no point saying all these now. It was not in my hands.”
There was disquiet among the rowers two days before the start of competitions on Wednesday with some of them claiming that they have been shifted from the events they were originally entered and reserves have been included in the first team.
The changes were made after the meeting of the team managers of different participating countries on Monday.
The controversy seemed to have died down as the rowers competed on the first day of events on Wednesday, but a few players said they were contemplating making a representation to the sports minister.
Rowing Federation of India (RFI) President Balaji Maradapa accused a former coach of “influencing” the athletes. He added the changes in crew members were made in interest of team after the duration of rowing competition was compressed to two days from four due to weather disruptions caused by Typhoon Dujuan.
(PTI News)
