From Baby-Sitter to Khelo India Podium, Jinu Realises Her Dream

Jinu Gogoi partnered with Karina Patowary, to win bronze in the U-21 Girls’ lawn bowling pair event.

Jinu Gogoi (right) used to babysit a 10-month old child of her employer until three months back.

(Photo: Khelo India)

Standing on the podium with a bronze medal around her neck, young Jinu Gogoi would have certainly looked back at how her life changed in only three months.

Change for the better of course.

In September, Jinu would accompany her employer Bima Borah to local lawn bowling alley where she played the sport every evening. Her job was to babysit the 10-month old child of her employer.

“I used to watch her play every day, and once, just on a whim, I asked her if she would teach me the sport.”

Jinu Gogoi, on how she got introduced to lawn bowling

Three months from that request, Jinu partnered with Karina Patowary, to win bronze in the Under-21 Girls' pair event at the lawn bowl green at the Khelo India Youth Games on Wednesday.

Jinu comes from Charaideo in Upper Assam. Her mother, Mamoni Gogoi, works in a tea garden in Sivasagar, managed by her employer's husband. "After I had my daughter, I employed her as a care-giver," Borah explained. "She helps me around with household chores as well as she takes care of the baby when I can't."

One of the driving motivations for Jinu to accept the job offer was a cancer-stricken father, whose expensive treatment forced her out of school after completing Class X.

Teary eyed, Jinu dedicated the medal to him and resolved to put whatever reward she would get to aid his treatment.

For Borah, to watch Jinu stand on the podium was like winning a medal herself.

"When I got her here, I was hoping I could get her out of a tough situation and also educate her, and elevate her," Borah said. "It may be just a bronze, but it has come after just three months of training. I can see her continuing and getting much better very soon."