“The swimming scene in India is set to change for the better” – CRPF D.I.G Khajan Singh Tokas

KHAJAN SINGH CRPF

Khajan Singh Tokas, born on 6 May 1962, is an Indian swimmer, who remained national swimming champion of India, and won a silver medal at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul. He was awarded an Arjuna Award by Government of India in 1984. Currently he serves as the Deputy Inspector General in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in India. Khajan Singh Tokas wants Indian swimmers to target medals at 2022 Asian games.

The swimming great of the 1980s and Asian Games silver medallist – Khajan Singh Tokas, in an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, Tokas said, “India should now target the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. There are eight to 10 swimmers in India who are doing an excellent job. By providing them the best training facilities, I am 100% sure that the Indian swimmers can do much better in the Asian Games”.

Khajan Singh Tokas, who participated in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul also said that “The Tokyo Olympics will be an experience for other swimmers who always felt that Olympics was tough to qualify for. That barrier has been broken by these three. Having said that, Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games should be the target for Indian swimmers before even thinking of a medal at the Olympics”.

Tokas won a silver medal in the 200m butterfly in the 1986 Seoul Asian Games, breaking the 35-year medal hiatus for India. Prior to that, the country had won six medals at the inaugural Asian Games in 1951 in New Delhi. After Tokas, India managed only two more medals at the Asian Games – Virdhawal Khade (50m butterfly, 2010 Guangzhou Asiad) and Sandeep Sejwal (50m backstroke, 2014 Incheon Asiad). India is now well placed now to stand again on the podium at the Asian Games after eight years next year. The CRPF D.I.G acknowledged this and said, “I got an Asiad silver. After than Khade and Sejwal won a bronze each. Winning one medal here and there will not help us in the future. We should target five to eight medals in Asian Games. They can do it. If I could do it in the 1980s without much support, today’s swimmers can do it as they are getting much support like money, equipment, international exposure”.

Khajan Singh Tokas also mentioned that in his time, there were no international tournaments. “The swimming scene in India is set to change for the better”, said Tokas, who has been posted as DIG, CRPF in Navi Mumbai. When he was asked why there was a huge gap between his Asian medal in 1986 and India winning another 24 years later, Tokas said, “There was a mental block that Indian swimmers cannot win medals. Secondly, as it was a foregone conclusion that Indian swimmers have no chance in Asian games, there was no proper support from the government, from the parents, from the federation. That is why this Olympic qualification will help India win six to eight medals next year and if we win, support will come from all corners”.