Lakhan Hansda, the lone international cyclist of Jharkhand, heaved a sigh of relief after bagging a job on Tuesday.

Chief minister Hemant Soren handed over appointment letters to a dozen sportspersons, including Hansda, at a function hosted at Ranchi’s Project Bhavan.

Hansda has been appointed as a police constable and has been posted in Ranchi.

The 33-year-old cyclist, who lives with his family at Damodih village in Potka block of East Singhbhum, about 25 km from Jamshedpur, turned emotional when contacted for a comment. “It is difficult for me to describe my happiness. I had lost all hopes of ever getting a job. I had run from pillar to post seeking employment under sports quota. Was even ready to work as a security guard since I was finding it hard to keep my family afloat,” Hansda said over phone from Ranchi.

The international cyclist represented India in Asian Cycling Championship held in Punjab in 2007. He also clinched the bronze medal (in time trial event) at the 2011 National Games hosted in Ranchi. However, despite being a top cyclist, job always eluded him.

The unassuming tribal was among the 39 sportspersons who were called to Ranchi where the Chief Minister handed over job letters earlier this year, in the month of March. However, he had missed the chance. Since then he had kept his fingers crossed, despite frustration creeping in. However, a phone call from the sports department on Monday morning informing him about the job, made the pedal star jump with excitement.

“I was so happy after the phone call that I straightaway boarded a bus and reached Ranchi Monday evening. I thank the Chief Minister for the appointment letter. I have already informed my family (wife Bijola and son Sidam) and parents about the appointment letter. They were very happy and have asked me to come home with sweets,” Hansda said, adding he would return home on Wednesday to take his belongings as he would be joining from Thursday.

“With job in hand, I am looking forward to bringing my cycling career back on track. I intend to win more medals for Jharkhand,” he said.

The cyclist's father Sidam is a retired employee of Uranium Corporation of India Ltd and mother Fulmani a homemaker. His elder brother Sanatan runs a cycle repairing shop in Rajdoha (East Singhbhum) and younger siblings Samu and Babulal are cyclist and footballer, respectively.

A disillusioned Hansda had left training and started farming. His father had mortgaged his land to buy Hansda an imported racing cycle seven years back.

With cycling taking a backseat, Hansda joined Special Olympics Jharkhand (SOJ) as a cycling coach. He accompanied the Indian cycling team to Abu Dhabi as one of the coaches for the Special Olympics World Summer Games in 2019.

SOJ assistant area director Satbir Singh Sahota, who is also a former secretary of Jharkhand Cycling Association, said he feels extremely happy for Hansda getting a job. “Hansda is a decent example of hard work and perseverance. He also worked very well as a cycling coach of the national squad.”