Sports help build one’s character, and is key to the Nation’s health and wellbeing. Essar Foundation has a tradition of grooming young sporting talents, and is proud to be associated with a little girl’s dream of making it big with her skates! The nine year old girl, Durga Gunjal, is from a humble background, but she possesses exceptional talent in skating.
On a cold morning in January of 2013, Mr Dilip Baburao Gunjal and Mrs Sangeeta Dilip Gunjal got a phone call from the local police station about a new-born baby who has been abandoned in a garbage bin. The couple, who run the Jay Janardan Swami Anath Budh Aashram, an Orphanage and home to old aged abandoned senior citizens, took the baby girl under their wings, making the Aashram her home. This young girl was interested in skating ever since she first saw older kids at a nearby college participating in the sport. Her caretakers, whom she lovingly calls “Papa-Mummy”, soon enrolled her in a skating academy, where Durga showed immense potential in the sport.
Her talents were spotted quickly and she was groomed by her coach for District and State level tournaments. This was only the beginning of a journey that eventually took the eight year old Durga to Goa where she represented the state of Maharashtra in the inter-state nationals in December of 2021.
Even though this is just the beginning of her skating journey, she has already won the inter-district championship in the under-14 age category, and has represented the State of Maharashtra in the recently concluded national level competition in Goa. She proved her mettle and won a bronze at the nationals in Goa despite being one of the youngest participants.
Essar Foundation has decided to fund her training and we have supported her trip to Goa for the National Level Skating Tournament. We are proud to be associated with Durga’s inspiring journey, and pledge our support to her future quests in becoming a professional skater.
Essar Foundation and Essar Power have been involved in the betterment of the Jay Janardan Swami Anath Budh Aashram, which is situated 320 kms from the outskirts of Mumbai and interiors of Maharashtra in a small village – Lasalgaon. The Foundation helps the aashram with essentials required to meet the day to day challenges, and is also involved in a project to construct all-weather living quarters for the residents of the orphanage.
We wish Durga the very best for her #KalKeLiye!