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REZA PRADHAN

Kalimpong, March 18: Finally, help is at hand for Paril Lepcha. The 13-year-old archer who needs Rs 70,000 — to buy a fibre glass bow and carbon tipped arrow — for international tournaments had almost given up hope, when aid started trickling in.

It was not from any government organisation or the DGHC, but from the people of the hill town, who had watched little Paril grow up.

The main purpose of Corpus, set up by people from all walks of life, is to help children from weaker sections of society to excel in fields that they are talented in. The committee’s first beneficiary is Paril. Corpus’s coordinator Samsher Ali said: “The concept behind the formation of this committee is to help talented youths, who could not make it big in life because of financial constraints. Right now, the committee, which will be later registered as a trust, has started Help Paril, a drive to collect funds for the girl so she can buy the much needed fibreglass bow and carbon-tipped arrow.”

Participants are not allowed to use bamboo bows and arrows in international tournaments.

Members of the committee range from Kalimpong additional superintendent of police S.K. Gazmer to businessmen, advocates and institutional heads. “Not only are we making mass appeals, but also trying to use our personal contacts to raise money which will be kept in a bank account opened in her name. She will be able to use it not only to buy her immediate requirement, that is the bow and arrow, but also for meeting future expenses like training,” said Prafulla Roa, a Corpus member and also the secretary of Kalimpong Consumers’ Association.

A Bongbasti resident, Paril bagged two gold medals in the 25th sub-junior (boys and girls) National Archery Championship in Delhi in December last year. Her best performance was, however, in 2002, at the National Vanavasi Archery Competition held in Calcutta. Paril had bagged three golds then. Her other achievements include bronze medals in all three categories (20m, 30m and overall) at the West Bengal State Archery Competition in 2003. “We have written to the sports departments of the state and central governments to help Paril. We will also approach the army here for funds and will ask the DGHC too,” said Ali. According to Gazmer, a talented girl like Paril must be helped and he is glad that residents here have taken the initiative to fight for her cause. Chujang Lepcha, Paril’s father, who is also an archer, said: “We never thought that so many people would come forward to help us. We are grateful to them.”