Olympic medallist, making living by selling snacks, requests help after shop demolition

Two-time Olympic medallist Sita Sahu has requested the Madhya Pradesh government for assistance after her shop was demolished. Sahu, who won two bronze medals for the nation at the Athens Special Olympics in 2011, has requested the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government to help her in her family's time of crisis.

Sahu requests Madhya Pradesh government to provide assistance

According to ANI, Sita Sahu has requested the Madhya Pradesh government for help after the Municipal Corporation removed her street food cart. Sita's mother had claimed that Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had promised her Rs 5 lakhs in prize money, a house and a shop. However, they have only received Rs 5 lakh rupees, and to date, no one has taken care of their home and the shop.

Despite achieving glory for the nation, the family is living a life of poverty as Sita, too, joined her family's business of selling snacks. What makes her achievements at the Special Olympics remarkable is that she was barely fifteen when she won two bronze medals in the 200 and 4x400 meter relay races held in 2011.

In an interview with ANI, Sahu explained her family's situation by stating, "I went to the Olympics in 2011 and won two bronze medals. After that Government promised to help us and give us a shop and a house which has not been given yet. This is an appeal to Shivraj Singh Chouhan that I should get a house, also the shop that was removed by Municipal Corporations." The Municipal Corporation had demolished the ancestral shop in the anti-encroachment campaign.

Following Sita's victory at the Athen Olympic Games, there was a round of congratulations from the central and state government. Moreover, in 2013, the then Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also honoured her and called her the pride of India. As per the report, most of the people of Rewa have known Sita as the 'Olympic Girl with Samosas' for a decade.

As for the financial assistance, a prize of Rs 5 lakhs, a house and a shop in Rewa city were promised to Sita. While she received the prize money, the other announcements have not been fulfilled according to ANI.