tennis Bengaluru cricket Karnataka Jhulan Goswami Rahman Sharieff with his kids Bharat Electronics Father wants his son s and daughter to pursue their dreamsAs the world focuses on World Cup football andat Wimbledon,has its eyes trained on the Derby besides these two world sporting spectacles. But in a rented house in the bylanes of RT Nagar,continues to rule the roost. Before you scoff at the single-minded cricketmania, meet Rahman Sharieff, a 45-year-old auto driver who plies customers around the city, with an appeal in his auto, seeking help to educate his children and help their pursuit of sports.You’ve heard of hockey moms, now meet this cricket dad, who is so much more than the moniker he has earned. Sharieff has been working as an auto-driver for the past 26 years, driving a rented auto. With his earnings of Rs 15,000 a month, Sharieff manages to pay his children’s school fees, auto rent, house rent and takes care of his family expenses. Besides this, he has managed to send all his three children to theCricket Academy. “My children are very good at sports.They have won a lot of medals and trophies at sports competitions. So I decided to enrol them in the Karnataka Institute of Cricket (KIOC). I could not afford the fees at the cricket academy but we are glad that the academy is coaching my children free of cost.’’Sharieff’s three children are quite exceptional. Fazulla, Sharieff’s eldest son studies in the 9th standard at the St Joseph’s Indian High school. The 16- year-old was referred to the academy by Rahman’s friend who knew Irfan Sait, the owner of the KIOC, who agreed to train him free of cost since Sharieff could not afford the fees. Today, he has been selected for the under-16 state zonal team. Says Fazulla, ‘‘I’m a fast bowler and want to be like Umesh Yadav in the future and make my parents proud.”On seeing Fazulla play good cricket, the other two kids – 15-year-old Nagma and 14-year-old Rizwan – were admitted to KIOC, free of cost too. Says Nagma, a 9th standard student, “I have won 15 gold and silver medals in sports competitions at school – running, short putt, discuss throw. I love sports. When my brother joined the cricket institute, I started developing an interest in the sport after looking at him play. But I thought there was no coaching for women. But my father told me that women were also being trained at the institute, and got me in.is my hero.’’What makes Sharieff’s story fascinating is that he has left no stone unturned to ensure that his children’s interest in sport is encouraged, despite his financial limitations. Says Sharieff, “I come from a poor family. My father used to work inLimited (BEL) but he used to be crazy about horse races and he lost a lot of money betting on horses. I was very interested in sports and cricket was my favourite. However my father never encouraged me and I couldn’t pursue it. I want to make sure my children are given a good lifestyle and get all that I couldn’t.’’Sharieff makes sure he drops and picks up his children from school and cricket coaching. “Most of the earnings go towards fuel. I wait until they finish playing and then drop them home. I make sure they study and I teach them at home. They have been well in academics too. They get a minimum of 75% in their exams,’’ says a proud Sharieff.For Fazulla Sharieff, his father is his super hero. ``I just told him once that I wanted to join a cricket academy and he made it possible. After a tiring day of driving people around the city, he still sits with us and helps us with our studies. He wants us to study and do well for ourselves, and not struggle like him. Unlike other children, we can’t go out to watch movies in theatres or go out shopping or go to restaurants or on vacations. It is sad, yes, but we don’t have a choice. They are times when we have gone to bed hungry because there has been no food at home, but we do not complain because my father is doing everything for us.”Sharieff’s wife, Haseen Taj, has been his strong and silent support. Says Sharieff, “My wife never asks for anything. She only wants the kids to be happy. She tells them not to focus on how we live now but to focus on a better future. From the past 10 years, I haven’t bought her any new clothes but she hasn’t complained. She wants our children’s dreams to be fulfilled.’’ Haseen Taj is all praise for her husband who she says, does not miss a single day to drop and pick up the children from school and coaching classes.Irfan Sait, owner of KIOC talks of the young stars from the Sharieff family, “Fazulla and Nagma are playing good cricket. They are two good fast bowlers. They have a bright future.”As Fazulla, Nagma and Rizwan see their dreams coming true, every day is father’s day in the Sharieff household.

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