Manisha – the Soccer Player’s Road to Success

After finishing my three years at S.P. College http://www.spcollegepune.ac.in/ and getting the Bachelor of Arts degree I wanted to continue my education further. But how would I be able to accomplish it? I had no money – all I had was a burning desire to keep on going further. For the past three years the S. P. College had not charged me anything, not for tuition, not for the dorm, not for the food. But they had let me known that I will have to pay all of those expenses someday. I was in debt of S.P.College. Professor Ashtekar had recommended to the Principal of S. P. College not to charge anything for me till they would find a good willed person who will carry the burden. One fine day Ms. Shaku Atre came to visit, where she had studied in the past, and expressed that she would be interested in supporting a hardworking, female student in need of money. She wanted to pay for the future education of the woman. S.P. College’s Principal requested that the past three years’ expenses need be paid. Ms. Atre paid all the three years’ expenses that were due to S.P. College. Now I was debt free. And Ms. Atre said to me that she was going to pay for the next two years’ tuition fees, dorm fees, and for my food to a college where I can get Sports’ Education and can learn to play soccer well.  She knew that Soccer was my passion.

Ms. Shaku Atre paid the fees of B.P. Ed. (Bachelor of Physical Education) at the Chandrashekhar Agashe College in Pune http://agashecollege.org/  and helped me to take admission for first year and told me that if I work hard and get very good grades, as well as recommendation of my professors, she will continue paying for the second year.  After finishing my second year at Agashe College I will be able to get a job as a sports teacher and will be able to make enough money on my own and will be able to live a life of financial independence.  She has been paying not only my tuition fees  but also my dorm fees, my food, and many other things which make me more effective in my studies, my sports education and of course my soccer play . She is always very concerned about knowing that I am very well taken care of.

Ms. Atre does not give money to me directly. That is much better for me. She pays directly before each semester the tuition fees to my college and to my dorm. She pays monthly to my Mensa – or also called   Dining Hall.   None of my relatives can come to me and take away money from me. I had always dreaded that. But to do all these chores she has hired a very effective manager, named Mr. Asif Sayyed. He has been working for her for the past thirteen years full time in Pune. He visits the college. He visits the dorm as well as my Mensa.  In India one has to be very careful about money dispersion. Money somehow grows “legs”. Mr. Sayyed gives bank checks to all these departments of the Agashe College.

My progress at the College has been as follows:

1. I completed Bachelors of Arts from S. P. College in 2015 with Geography Specialization.
2. I’m completing first year in B. P. Ed (Bachelor of Physical Education) at Agashe College, Pune.
3. Like my guardians Mr. Raghav Ashtekar and Mr. Atul Wakankar, Mr. Asif Sayyed, associate of Ms. Shaku Atre, takes care and pays visit to me even when Ms. Atre is living abroad. Mr. Asif Sayyed always asks me what I need and takes care of all college papers needed. He always meets all my professors and asks about my progress.
4. Agashe College not only teaches us to play sports but also trains us to take theoretical classes. They train us how to handle students in school in B. P. Ed. They also teach us how to arrange competitions, various activities, trips, etc.

 

In these two years of B. P. Ed degree they also taught us how the games are played at National and International Levels. After playing the role of a successful player in the college for two years, students can become a trainer / teacher.

Following are the subjects taught nationally and internationally in B. P. Ed Degree Course:-

1. Football(soccer)
2. Athletics
3. Basketball
4. Table tennis
5. Handball
6. Floor gymnastics
7. Cricket
8. Self defense
9. Fitness
10. Drill march – Flag code
11. Competencies
12. Yoga
13. Kho-Kho (an Asian Game)
14. Kabaddi (an Asian Game)

 

Ms. Atre has mentioned that she is supporting more hard working women like me to get education. I can’t wait to give 10% of the money that I will make at my job till I have paid my loan to the funds so that more women can be financially independent. I will be able to live independently with hard earned money because I was able to get education because of support of many – I am very thankful to all of them – Prof. Ashtekar,  my Sports teacher Soccer Coach Mr. Wakankar, Dr. Sheth, Principal of S. P. College – and especially to Ms. Atre –  who really did “foot the bill.” Ms. Shaku Atre has set the example of saving a drowning person, without even knowing me at all. Today my education is going on smoothly. Considering my love and affection towards soccer, madam has always encouraged me. I’m an atheist but I believe helping people are no less than God.