Sameer had never won a sports medal, but when real courage was tested outside the arena, an unexpected act of bravery earned him a victory far greater than any prize.
A short story by Ramendra Kumar with artwork by the teen artist Nandini Meda.
“In 100 metres sprint, the first prize goes to Balaji,” the compere announced.
Sameer watched as his classmate Balaji strode up to the podium, shook hands with the chief guest, accepted the shining cup, and walked back to the sweet sound of applause.
Balaji had clocked the fastest time of the competition. Sameer had also taken part but he had been eliminated in the heats not only in 100 metres but also in 200, 400 and long jump. In the cross country, he had come 18th out of 64 participants.
Sameer, who was in class eight, was a good student but just about average in sports. On the annual day, he invariably ended up getting a prize in a quiz, an essay, an elocution, or even for securing the highest marks in English. But in sports, he drew an absolute blank. Ever since he could remember he had not got a single prize. He had watched his friends and rivals walk proudly to the dais and collect their medals, cups and trophies feeling more than a twinge of envy.
It was not that he hadn’t tried. He had played every game, participated in every event with varying degrees of failure.
He was aware that ‘participation was more important than winning’, the significance of sportsman spirit and all the clichés which he heard again and again. It was fine listening to all this stuff when you were among the winners, but digesting sermons when you were hungry for one teeny-weeny medal, one itsy-itsy cup was rather difficult.
***
“Hey Sameer, you know our new Geography Sir?”
Sameer’s best friend Neeraj asked.
“Vincent Sir?”
“Yes. He’ll be our school’s boxing coach.”
“Boxing!”
“Yes. It seems he was a champion fighter during his school and college days. He will be coaching guys every Tuesday and Saturday in the indoor stadium. Why don’t you go?”
“Me! Are you nuts? I don’t know the ‘B’ of boxing. I’ll simply get slammed.”
“Come on. Do you think others are experts? You have a good physique, and with the right training, you might turn out to be good. And who knows, you might even end up winning a prize.” Neeraj was the only one who was aware of Sameer’s secret desire.
”I doubt,” Sameer shrugged.
After mulling over the idea for some time, he decided to take Neeraj’s advice and enrolled for the coaching.
Vincent Sir was a very patient but strict coach. He started teaching from the very basics, and Sameer found that not only was he enjoying the sport, but he was also quite good at it. Though there were a couple of others who packed a more solid punch, he was very quick on his feet, which was a great advantage.
***
Tomorrow was the big day for Sameer. He was to compete in the quarter finals in the inter-house athletic meet. His clash was with Adnan, the new boy who had joined in class nine in the middle of the second term. He hadn’t seen Adnan spar but he was sure he would be able to handle him quite easily. In the semis, Sameer would be meeting the winner of the Parminder-Samuel clash, and he was confident he could take on either of them. Once in the finals, he would be assured of a medal, and his dream would at last come true.
These thoughts were bouncing inside his head as he walked back to his house, taking a shortcut through the school grounds. He had just had a practise session, and Vincent Sir had been quite happy with him.
“Don’t try to finish the game off. It will be rather difficult since your punches lack power. Your strength is your agility. Keep sparring, but don’t allow your opponent to connect. Soon, he will lose patience and make mistakes,” Vincent Sir had advised him.
As he neared the pathway, which separated the college grounds from the boundary wall, he heard a rough voice that was vaguely familiar.
“So old man, finally you are trapped. Today I’ll teach you a lesson which you’ll never forget.”
Sameer stopped in his tracks. The pathway was lined with a thick hedge on both sides. Sameer peeped through the gap and almost yelped in surprise.
His Principal, Sarkar Sir, was standing with his walking stick, glaring at a tall, well-built man. Sameer recognised the ruffian immediately. He was Rameez Rana, the lab assistant of the Chemistry Lab. The Princy had chucked him out last week because he had been caught taking money from his students and passing information during exams.
“Nobody can escape after messing with Rameez Rana. First, I’ll rearrange your features and then take whatever you have and vanish.”
“You won’t escape, you scoundrel!” Sarkar Sir thundered.
“We’ll see about that later,” Rana growled, and as he advanced, a lithe shadow jumped between him and his quarry.
“Rana, get lost before I cream you,” Sameer said, trying to sound as impressive as his screen idol Shahrukh Khan. He was sporting boxing gloves, but his hands were hidden behind his back.
“What did you say you little runt! You are going to stop me. Get lost before I whack you one and make you fly away,” snarled Rameez Rana.
“Try it, Mister Rana,” Sameer replied, looking at Rana, who was at least a foot taller and twenty pounds heavier than him. Suddenly, Sameer was not feeling all that brave anymore.
Rana’s fist flew. Sameer watched it coming like a fat club and ducked. He unleashed a straight hook followed by a left and a right in quick succession. Rana staggered and lunged at Sameer, who deftly stepped aside and packed all his power in his favourite punch aimed straight at the opponent’s solar plexus. As Rana doubled up in pain, Sarkar Sir stepped forward and with an agility and strength surprising for his age brought the walking stick down on his head. Rana groaned and slumped to the ground.
****
The next day, the indoor stadium was packed. The first quarter final had started. Sameer was taking on the dark horse Adnan.
Sameer was surprised by Adnan. He looked quite lethargic but was quick on his feet. Sameer fought as he had never fought before. But finally, when the mandatory rounds were completed, he had lost by three points. He crashed out of the championship, and his dream of bagging a medal on sports day remained elusive.
****
The prize distribution ceremony was in progress. Princy Sir was distributing the awards. After giving away the Rolling Shield for the best House, he took the mike.
“Friends, I thoroughly enjoyed watching some of the matches as well as the track and field events. Our young sportsmen have truly done well. Here I would like to mention one thing. Sportsman spirit is not only about teamwork, camaraderie, and healthy competition. It is also about commitment and courage. Let me relate to you an incident.”
As Sameer heard in surprise, Princy Sir described in detail their encounter with Rameez Rana.
“I am sure you would like to know the name of the boy who came to my rescue. But for him risking his life and limb, I would have been lying in the hospital and not been here with you. My rescuer was Sameer Kumar of class IX – C.”
All eyes turned towards Sameer who got up, his face red with embarrassment.
“I have decided to present him a special award.”
As Sameer walked up to the dais to receive the glittering trophy, the applause was deafening.
(Artwork by Nandini Meda)
______________________________________
Nandini Meda
Nandini Meda, a 16-year-old high school student from Hyderabad, India, balances her Class 11 studies in science and mathematics with her art, sketching daily when there are no tests or exams.
Nandini seeks feedback for future projects, while preparing for admission to universities with strong arts & architecture programs.
Ramendra Kumar (Ramen) is an award-winning author, performance storyteller, and TEDx speaker whose 54 books span fiction for all ages, satire, biographies, and inspirational non-fiction. Translated into 33 languages and recipient of 41 All-India awards for children’s literature, his works — known for their wit, warmth, and emotional resonance — have touched readers across India and beyond. His titles with the National Book Trust (NBT), India alone have sold over 1.5 million copies.
Ramen has participated in international literary festivals and marquee Indian events, including the Jaipur Literature Festival. He has served as a jury member for The Times of India’s Women “AutHer” Awards, a mentor for the Scholastic Writers Academy, and was named “Author and Storyteller of the Year” on Talking Stories, London.
His arduous battle with cancer was featured on Humans of Bombay, one of India’s largest storytelling platforms, where his story garnered over four million views. In October 2025, he won the ‘Mr. India Cancer Warrior’ crown at a unique competition for cancer survivors held in New Delhi!
An alumnus of the prestigious Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet, Ramen is an engineer and an MBA who left his role as General Manager (Corporate Communications), SAIL, to pursue his true calling — writing, storytelling, and inspiring lives.
Ramen’s website is www.ramendra.in and he has a page devoted to him on Wikipedia.
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