The ball ditched her...

SOCCER TURNS some into millionaire. But, there are many who have the other side of the story to share.

Farzana Khan was known as lightning-fast forward on the football field. She had represented Uttar Pradesh in National Games not only in football but also in hockey, kho kho, basketball and athletics.

But, soccer didn’t make her a millionaire. In fact, she doesn’t know how her three children will get proper education. This leaves her more injured than the stroke that left her paralysed on the field.

Farzana was hit hard on the head while playing football in 1996. She lost right limb and hand movements. Her husband had to leave his job in railways for her treatment. All her savings vanished, and what remained was struggle for survival. Her husband Abdul Waheed pulls a trolley to keep the kitchen on.

Farzana is a fighter. She never gave up and moved around on her tricycle to get the approach road to her house made. But, her struggle is on for financial security. She tried for the job in various departments under the sports quota, but her certificates failed to impress the mandarins in the government.

Last month she was assured by the doctors of her full recovery but she had no money to get even a MRI done.

She needs a financial push to get on her feet again.