French Junior squash player, Yash Fadte returned on Monday to his state home Goa, as he went for training on March, after being stranded in United Kingdom.
Fadte, told PTI over phone that he is happy to be back home, but he also expressed his displeasure over social distancing norms not bring followed in Goa. He is now currently lodged at a quarantine facility in Panaji.
Fadte left on March 7th for the U.K for one-and-a-half month training at Solihull Arden Club. He was also scheduled to play in some of the tournaments there before he returned to India on April 29.
“I had begun my training and it went on for 2 weeks before tye lockdown was announced in the UK due to COVID-19 outbreak on March 22.”
He said from the quarantine facility.
Yash then tries to return Goa as he could foresee that the wait will continue for long.
“But, to my bad luck, both UK and India declared the shutdown of their airports on the same day. I had to stay back in a rented room.” He said adding, that the following lockdown there, it was difficult to get groceries and many items were sold at higher rates.
The young player was worried as his whole family was in Goa and he was stuck alone abroad.
He said, “I was worried for myself, and also for my parents in Goa. I was reading news about COVID-19 cases. I was afraid because Goa is a place where tourists arrive from across the world.”
Fadte said, he spent his time meditating and practicing yoga to take care of his physical and mental health.
“I was regularly in touch with my parents in Goa through video calls. I also hot moral support from people like industrialists Shivanand Salgaocar and Vijay Chowgule, who called me.” said the young player.
Fadte, who won the French Junior Open in February this year is supported by Vimson Group led by Shivanand Salgaocar.
He also told that in the second week of May, he was almost about to take a Mumbai-bound flight, but the ticket was cancelled at the last minute.
He said, “the Indian High Commission told me the flight was carrying only passengers from Maharashtra. I was asked to hold on. I had faith in Indian High Commission, but I was also worried.”
Fadte finally got to travel on March 23, from the UK.
“I reached Mumbai on May 24 and arrived Goa on 25 May.” He said.
But he experienced bad travelling in a bus of Goa government-run Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited.
As he said, “There was no social distancing in the bus. We got very good treatment in the flight, but when we sat in the bus to come to Goa, social distancing was compromised.”
Now, yash will remain in quarantine facility for 7 days before going to home.
