His sons -- Ramhari and Indraraj -- are hoping to cure his illness in the United States. “We have an appointment from American Medical Association for treatment on Oct 22 and will be applying for his visa on Oct 15,” Ramhari told myrepublica.com at the premises of the Ministry for Youth and Sports on Thursday. The National Sports Council (NSC) has written a letter to ministry to provide him a recommendation letter to the US embassy -- the only support the apex sports body has extended to Joshi so far.
Two months ago, Joshi, who was among six athletes to participate in the Games along with Krishna Barma, Min Bahadur Bista, Dev Bahadur Magar, Dam Bahadur and Chamak Bahadur, recalled his exploits with myrepublica.com.
“Sports during those days were the hobbies of the Ranas,” Joshi said with a lot of difficulty while speaking. “Sports competitions organized on the occasion of Godhe Jatra were the only recognized sports -- track and field athletics.”
Joshi had joined Nepal Army´s Surya Dal Battalion in 1944 at the time when only army men were allowed to participate in sports. The battalions would compete with each other and if a player performed well he would get cash rewards and congratulations from elites.
Joshi was reputed as a key player of his battalion in running and horse-riding. “I always concentrated on how I could perform best and get cash rewards from the Ranas,” he said. Being an athlete in army had its own rewards. “I had not been promoted from Jamadar for 10 years,” he recalled an interesting event. “When the then King Mahendra met me in Pokhara and learnt that I was a player, he immediately promoted me to lieutenant.” That was in 1955.
Before joining the army, Joshi had worked as Battalion Boy in Gorkha Bhaksum, Gorakhpur of India and later served as a British army. He fought in the World War II in Burma (Myanmar) and returned home after the war ended.
Joshi learnt sports during his recruitment in the British Army. Although he did not compete, he gained experiences of football, volleyball and table tennis. With the skills, he turned a hero in his homeland.
“Many people knew me as a sportsman,” said ailing Joshi in excited tone.
Joshi played football and boxing too. “We used to play football in Tundikhel and Singha Durbar with Nara Shamsher, but I never played a big football match,” he said. “Our diet used to be jeri (sweets), egg, glucose and sugarcane juice.”
After his retirement from the army in 1961, Joshi got involved in social services. He was elected the head of Tokha during the Panchayat era. He also worked for the Department of Roads for 14 years.
Joshi, out of his sheer love for sports, donated Rs 100,000 to Nepal Amateur Athletics Association in 2002. It aims to promote athletics. We wish Joshi a quick recovery and a good health.
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