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Shot putter Tejinder Toor aims for Asiad title
By Ajeyo Basu
New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) He may be a relative newcomer at the international level, but emerging Indian shot put star Tejinder Pal Singh Toor is exuding loads of confidence as he heads into his maiden Asian Games.
“I am a sure contender for a medal. Of course, I will aim for gold. That is the biggest prize any athlete strives for. But even if I miss the gold, I am almost certain that I will finish on the podium,” Toor told IANS.
“Any medal is valuable, but a gold is a gold,” he added.
The tall, burly athlete from Punjab has enough reasons to be confident. The 23-year-old is one of the best proponents of the shot put in Asia and took the silver medal at the continental championships last year.
“This will be my first appearance at the Asian Games. But I am totally confident. There is no pressure or nervousness. I am confident of doing well. I am among the best in Asia and it will not be easy to beat me,” Toor asserted.
This year, however, has been a difficult one for Toor. He had a poor outing at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, where he ended up at a disappointing eighth position.
Toor, however, prefers to look at the bright side and is determined to make amends at the Asian Games.
“I faced a lot of disappointment at the Commonwealth Games. But there were a lot of positives as well. The competition there was really tough and the experience will help me a lot in future tournaments. The confidence and self-belief that an athlete gets after competing against such a tough field is really invaluable,” he said.
“The overall standards of the athletes at the Commonwealth Games is higher than the Asian Games. So the experience of competing there a few months before the Asiad will definitely help me a lot,” he added.
Unlike several of his peers, Toor opted not to go for a training stint abroad, preferring instead to train at high altitude in Dharamsala.
“Practice is going well. I am happy with my preparations. I have shifted my training base to Dharamsala and it has helped me a lot,” he said.
“I opted not to train abroad. The climate in Dharamsala is really good and I have trained well over the past few months,” he added.
(Ajeyo Basu can be contacted at [email protected])
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.