Wife of former Olympian and hockey player Mohammed Shahid has threatened to return all awards won by her husband as authorities have failed to keep the promises made to her. Parveen, Shahid's wife, is exasperated with the callous attitude shown by the state and central governments and is planning on returning all the awards won by her late husband.
Parveen said that after her husband's death, the government made many promises but never fulfilled them. She plans on going to Delhi after observing Shahid's death anniversary on July 20. Once in Delhi, she would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and return all the awards.
After Shahid's death, the then Uttar Pradesh Minister for Sports Ramsakal Gujjar had promised Parveen that a national level hockey tournament would be held in her late husband's name. Similarly, the then Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel had promised to organise prestigious hockey tournaments in Varanasi, and this too remains unfulfilled.
Parveen said she is surviving on a meagre pension and although her son has a job, his salary is not enough to keep the household running. Shahid wanted his son to play for the country someday, but that dream remains unfulfilled as well because of their financial situation.
Shahid, a member of the Indian hockey team that won a gold in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, passed away on July 20, 2016 after prolonged illness. He was honoured with the Arjun award in 1981. He had been a member of the Indian hockey team in the 1982 and 1986 Asian Games, in which India had won silver and bronze medals respectively. In 1986, the government had awarded Shahid the Padma Shri. He had won 10 medals as well as other prestigious awards.