Level-Playing Field! Migrant Worker's Son Shines In District-Level Sports; Secures Gold Medal In High Jump

True nation-building comes through the collaborative efforts of its citizens and the migrants they've welcomed over time. While historically, the contributions of migrant communities have been known to get overshadowed, their achievements and capacities are slowly making its way to the limelight. In one such case, a migrant worker's 17-year-old son has been setting new records and winning gold medals for a district in Kerala.

Knowing The Roots

Blesson Nayak showcased quite the performance at the Ernakulam Revenue District School Sports Meet in Kothamangalam and took home the gold medal for the high jump event. Apart from the long jump, he also left a mark in events of javelin throw and triple jump. The high schooler from Mar Basil Higher Secondary School, exhibiting exceptional sports capacities, is a native of Odisha who had come to Kerala about 16 years back.

His father, Virendra Nayak, had travelled to Ernakulam way back in 2006 in search of a job. Soon after he secured a job and settled in, he brought along his family to the city. After having shifted to Kerala, Blesson had last visited his relatives in Odisha as a 5th grader and plans on going back to his village once again after his board exams.

'Soldiers Have Inspired Me'

Blesson's father currently works at a sawmill, and his mother is a homemaker. Both of them played a key role in promoting Blesson's interest in sports right from a young age. Consequently, Blesson took part in multiple state and district-level events and has been securing several medals since his childhood. Alongside his sports ventures, he is also preparing for the upcoming defence recruitment drive and hopes to join the Army someday. A report by the New Indian Express quoted him saying, "Real-life stories about soldiers have always inspired me to join the force."

The aspirations and capacities of many children from migrant families continue to find their space to grow in schools across the state. Kerala, with its ambitious state literacy mission, became the torchbearer for schemes that facilitated education for migrant workers as well as their families. The state has been slowly growing as a learning ground for people coming from different levels of social, economic, and cultural spheres. Proof of this is the achievements that Blesson is proudly holding as a migrant worker's son in the state.

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