Hakam Singh Bhattal, 64, a former Asian gold medalist and is battling with serious liver and kidney ailments. He seeks immediate help to meet the hospital expenses and stay alive. He had won the gold medal at the 1978 Asian Games in the 20-km race walk. He had made India proud by winning a gold medal in Asian Games 1978 held in Bangkok. He bagged the first place in the 20-km race walk discipline. He also won a gold in the Asian Track and Field Meeting held at Tokyo in 1979. But all of it seems to be forgotten by the country. The Punjab government has left the former athlete on his own as his health deteriorates.
Admitted to a private hospital in Punjab's Sangrur district with severe liver and kidney ailments, Hakam Singh is in miserable condition. As for his family, seeing the former champion inch towards his end due to lack of proper medication is worst. They are struggling to bear the expense of treatment with no help provided by the state government. Hakam Singh did not just have an illustrious career as an active athlete but also as a coach and later as a part of Punjab police.
In 1981, Hakam Singh’s career in athletics was cut short after meeting with a serious accident. But he did not give up on his dream of taking the sports in India to newer heights. Hakam Singh turned into a coach for young athletes. In 2003, Punjab Police hired him as an athletic coach in the department. In 2014, he retired after serving as a constable. Among the many feats, winning Dhyan Chand Award in 2009 remains the most memorable. With the state government turning a blind eye to his deteriorating health conditions, his family request Sports Minister of India Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore to come to his aid.
