Anisa Sayyed doesn’t need to wait for long to succeed in a shooting range but her wait for a job seems to be turning into an endless one with the Haryana government dillydallying for the past three years, leaving the champion shooter with no option but to vent her frustration.
The multiple Commonwealth Games winner, who has clinched a silver in the just-concluded edition in Glasgow to go with her record-breaking double gold in Delhi four years ago, though, is still living in hope.
“I have been waiting for three years, waiting for that promised job. But it has still not seen the light of the day. If they think I don’t deserve this then they should not keep me waiting. That’s not fair on an athlete who has and continues to strive for international success,” said Anisa.
The 33-year-old Anisa took silver in the women’s 25 metre pistol event of the Commonwealth Games at the Barry Buddon Shooting Centre near Glasgow on July 26. In the same event, the gold was won by her “good friend” Rahi Sarnobat.
Competing with a friend for the top prize is not a problem, but waiting for something that she richly deserves does make Anisa sad.
“The file has not been processed since 2011, I am still hoping that we will get something out of it. I have met the chief minister (Bhupinder Singh Hooda) twice and he asked me to only concentrate in shooting, and the rest will be taken care of.
“Because of this I quit my job with Railways right after the Delhi CWG in 2010 and also did not show interest in a job offered by Maharashtra government. Looking back I think those were mistakes,” she said.
“I seriously hope that something will happen before we leave for the World Championships or at least the Asian Games,” Anisa added.
