This Asian Games medalist touched Anand Mahindra's heart. Who is Ram Baboo?

livemint.com:

₹3,000-3500 per month, Baboo's determination led him to sports as a career. His mother's insistence led him to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), where he developed an interest in long-distance running. After facing challenges in marathons and developing knee pain, he shifted to race walking on the advice of coach Pramod Yadav.

Baboo used social media to his advantage, connecting with coach Chandrabahan Yadav in Varanasi. In 2019, he convinced a coach at Bhopal SAI Centre to train him. He hwoever had to return home during the COVID-19 lockdown, and worked under the MGNREGA scheme.

Later, he won a silver medal in the National Race Walk Championships, securing a place at the Army Sports Institute in Pune. After the removal of the 50 km event, Baboo shifted to the 35 km category, winning gold in the National Open Championships and earning a job in the Army. Despite challenges, he overcame obstacles to achieve success in the Asian Games, the report notes.

Baboo's mother, Meena Devi, spoke of the family's struggles and sacrifices to support his dream. Baboo expressed his plan to shift to the 20 km race walk for the next season, citing unpredictability in mixed team events. His success in the Asian Games brought joy to his village, Bhairava Gandhi in Sonbhadra district, where his family's financial struggles are well known.