Para karate athlete given job at Khanna MC office
After a long hustle, Tarun Sharma has been provided with a job by the state government on July 24, the same day on which he held a protest by polishing shoes, outside the mini secretariat, in the quest for employment.
Ludhiana After a long hustle, Tarun Sharma has finally been appointed by the state government on July 24, the same day on which he held a protest by polishing shoes, outside the mini secretariat, in the quest for employment.
The 33-year-old international para karate player informed that he has been appointed as a deputy clerk in the office of municipal corporation in Khanna on temporary basis. “I was handed over an appointment letter on Wednesday by Khanna additional deputy commissioner Rupinder Pal Singh and I joined the office the very next day, however, the joining letter would be handed over on Monday,” he said.
Tarun mentioned that he will continue to work as a vegetable vendor as a meagre salary of ₹13,500 would not make ends meet, along with continuing the game. “Before and after office hours, I will have to sell vegetables if I wish to continue competing,” he added.
Earlier, he had won a silver medal at the Asian Para Championship in Uzbekistan in the year 2022 and a bronze in Malaysia in the year 2023. He participated in the World Championship at Ireland in 2019 where he grabbed third place and won a gold and a bronze medal in kumite and kata techniques in the Hungary Open Karate Championship in 2018. He also triumphed at the Uzbekistan Open Karate Championship in the same year, bringing home two golds.
He won the North American Open Karate Championship among 28 countries in Las Vegas this March and was also presented with a district award for Para Karate on Republic Day this year.
Tarun mentioned that due to no financial support from the government, he managed the expenses for international tournaments through loans, adding to a debt of ₹12 lakhs, a major amount of which was recently paid by a renowned Punjabi artist, Karan Aujla.
Vardhman Special Steels Limited, under its CSR initiative to promote sports under project Khel Protsahan, appreciated Sharma for training girl players in government school, Khanna and have announced to pay the entire salary of ₹3 lakhs for the same. Nearly 70 children have been trained by him to date.
