Chhattisgarh: Naxal-affected children's equestrian skills to become Bastar's new identity; will give historical performance before Amit Shah
Jagdalpur: The dreams of tribal children in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, which has long been affected by Naxal violence, have now taken flight. Children who had never even seen a horse in their lives have become expert in horse riding.
These children will give a grand and historic equestrian performance before Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the Bastar Olympics.
Positive change in Naxal-affected areas
This initiative is not only providing a platform for sporting talent but is also becoming a strong example of positive change in Naxal-affected areas.
It is noteworthy that Chhattisgarh's Naxal-affected Dantewada and Kanker districts have become the first districts in the state where tribal children are being given systematic and professional equestrian training.
At the Jawanga Education City in Geedam, these children are being prepared for national, international, and Olympic-level competitions. Here, free training is being provided to the children in the morning and evening using 10 to 12 foreign breed horses.
Jawanga Education City in Geedam, Dantewada, is a major educational hub that provides free education from nursery to technical levels in both Hindi and English languages, giving priority to children from Naxal-hit areas.
Children have won several national-level awards
Foreign breeds like Thoroughbred and Hanoverian are known for horse racing, stunts, and polo. With training on these horses, the children are confidently practicing turning, jumping, and stunts. These tribal children have also participated in polo competitions held in Bengaluru and Delhi and have won several national-level awards.
Trainer Vijeta Chaudhary said that horse riding is a challenging sport, but the tribal children of Bastar are naturally courageous and hardworking. With the right guidance, they learn quickly. This entire training program is being run by Brego and Hector Equestrian Management Company of Raipur in collaboration with the district administration.