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Bhubaneswar: Budhia Singh, the five-year-old Orissa boy who shot to fame last year for his ability to run long distances, is running from pillar to post to get his dues as several gift cheques handed over to him have bounced.
"Many individuals and companies encouraged me to run in different places and had given me cheques but many of them bounced," Singh said.
"There are over two dozen cheques worth Rs500,000 (Dh40,980) which have bounced," said coach Biranchi Das, the man who adopted Budhia and helped him become a running sensation.
"The worst part is none of them responded to the calls, mails that we sent seeking clarification why it bounced. It caused us both financial and mental trouble."
Das said the people and organisations whose cheques bounced include a foreign television group that interviewed the child. The group after interviewing the boy gave a cheque of Rs 5,000 (Dh409).
There are several people who also announced publicly that they would help the boy financially.
They include a central public sector undertaking, which had announced a life insurance policy for the child. But they have not contacted them till date, he said.
Young celebrity
Das and his wife adopted Budhia after rescuing him from a slum where he was sold by his impoverished mother for Rs800 (Dh65). They helped him become a running sensation.
The boy became a celebrity after his non-stop 60-km run from Puri to Bhubaneswar last year. He runs at least 20km every day, covering 45km twice a week and greater distances once in a fortnight.
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