Budhia Running

[gorkha shakti]

I was watching the satellite news from overseas last night and caught a glimpse of this kid (Budhia) running to set a 70KM marathon record. Well it was more than a glimpse. The Budhia report was about twenty minutes long in comparison to a less than eight minutes report of killings of thirty-five villagers by terrorists in Jammu.

You could find more information on the web on Budhia. Child abuse or Child star? Check it out.


http://houstonrunning.blogspot.com/2005/12/indias-marathon-boy-budhia-singh-now-4.html

http://inhome.rediff.com/sports/2006/may/02budhia.htm


Thanks
GS

[cal911gal]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4241958.stm is another article I found, and the child doesn't appear all that happy in the first photo.

The thought that he is only four both amazes me and appalls me. Four year olds should run around with each other, in circles and games....and their bodies tend to know when it's time to stop. For a child to run like this, when his bones haven't even fully formed - what's going to be the lasting impact? A 70 year old arthritic skeleton inside a 20 year old skin?

On the other hand, that you can get that kind of focus, endurance, and dedication out of a 4 year old is amazing. But at what price? A threat of no food if you don't run XXX Km today?

Obviously, I don't know the whole story...but my instinct tells me its wrong. Not to mention the fact the poor child was essentially sold into slavery.
:cry:

[gorkha shakti]

As shown on the news, the local politicians and corporate sponsors were coming out to cash in on this kid. The menace of corruption has turned India into a moth-eaten social structure on the verge of total collapse. Curiously, everyone in authority decries this phenomenon but nobody seems to do anything about it. Irrespective of what the economists say about India?s strength, present or potential, the Republic is in delicate health. Where were the politicians, sponsors, and the media when his own mother sold the child? Why didn?t the local media there try to do some investigative journalism as to why the child was sold and why such problems exist?

I am not trying to take any spotlight away from Budhia, but he is too young and may not understand what is happening. No doubt, Budhia have some extraordinary abilities where he is able to run such long distances, but I am very skeptical about the media, politicians and the sponsor?s intentions.

Thanks
GS