Rohtak, June 6 -- Even before dawn breaks over Karontha village, 12km from Rohtak, a muddy village pond comes alive. The still, yellowish water begins to ripple as long, colourful boats cut through the surface. Inside them, young boys and girls paddle fiercely under the watchful eyes of their coach, Pooja Dhankar. What was once merely a village pond used for bathing buffaloes has been transformed into an unlikely training arena for kayaking and canoeing-dynamic international water sports. The journey, which began almost 10 years ago, was no smooth sailing for 27-year-old Pooja. After learning about this sport in 2016, she came to know about a water sports academy in Salawas, Jhajjar, a few months later and underwent a year of coaching in 2017. To win the trust of conservative villagers and convince them to send their children for swimming and water sports required grit. "When we first entered the pond carrying a strange-looking boat and paddle, the villagers mocked us and called us fish catchers," Pooja says. "But I knew this sport could change lives. I started training my sisters and cousins first. Slowly, the villagers noticed our hard work and began sending their children, too." As per the Haryana Kayaking and Canoeing Association, international medallist coach Pooja is inspiring and training the next generation of girls free of cost, drawing from her remarkable journey that includes five international medals, including silver (500m) and bronze (200m) at the 2018 Asian Championship in China, three bronze medals at the 2024 Senior World Cup, and participation in prestigious world championships and world cup events, bringing pride to her village, Haryana and India on the global stage. An elite athlete herself, Pooja boasts an impressive track record: 52 senior-category national medals in canoeing (dragon boat events), including two bronze medals in rafting at the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand in 2025. After completing a professional certificate course in water sports in Kochi, she chose to take on grassroots coaching. Today, the 50 trainees in the age group of 11 to 17 continue to swell. Children arrive before dawn, and their parents line the banks, watching proudly as their wards, strapped safely into life jackets, slice through the water. Pooja, the youngest of four daughters of ex-serviceman Havildar Mahavir Singh, has spent nearly Rs.14 lakh from her family's savings to run this free training centre. Boats, paddles, safety jackets, a tin shed, and gym equipment-everything has been funded out of her own pocket. "Water sports are expensive," Pooja explains. "A standard canoeing boat costs nearly Rs.70,000, while imported paddles can cost up to Rs.16,000. Despite limited resources, I've managed to procure nine boats and the necessary paraphernalia to train 50 children." The 500-metre pond on the village outskirts is now a hub of discipline. The children train for two hours in the morning and three hours in the evening, defying harsh summer and winter alike. A humanities graduate currently pursuing a Bachelor of Physical Education (BPEd) through the correspondence department of Chandigarh University, Pooja lands a monthly honorarium of Rs.25,000 as a coach under the Haryana sports department's Khel Nursery Scheme. However, her father's 4.5 acres of agricultural land remain the primary backbone of her operation. Her training has already turned 17 boys and girls into proficient swimmers-no mean feat for children who had never entered deep water before. Four of her trainees-Maya (15), Khushi (14), and Ritesh (16)-cleared the selection trials for the 36th National Canoe Sprint Junior and Sub-Junior Championship 2025-26, which was held in Karnal on May 23-24. With her three elder sisters married, Pooja's only lingering anxiety is her own future. "I'm worried that marriage might take me away from this pond and my students," she admits. "That is why I want to marry into a nearby village, so I can continue this training." Acknowledging her efforts, Rohtak district sports officer Anoop Singh said: "We are supporting her under the government scheme with a Rs.25,000 monthly honorarium, and 25 of her trainees receive a monthly stipend between Rs.1,500 and Rs.2,000. If she submits a formal proposal for further infrastructure assistance, we will fast-track it to the higher authorities." When asked about the muddy pond traditionally used for bathing cattle and the specific measures being taken to ensure water sanitation, Pooja said, "In the past two years, we have never faced any hygiene issues because the pond is connected to the canal, and it gets filled with fresh water whenever the water level drops." She said that she would submit a proposal regarding water safety and hygiene, alongside other required facilities and equipment. When asked about submitting a proposal for infrastructure assistance, Pooja said that she would soon submit a proposal to the Haryana sports department for better facilities, and safety equipment for the children. Sanjeet Singh, father of 11-year-old Naksh, who is also training under Pooja, says, "Pooja has not only brought an international sport to our village, but she has also become a source of inspiration for the youth here. Like my son, several other children have learned swimming free of cost."...