The story of Abid Khan, a National Institute of Sports (NIS) alumnus who now works as an auto driver and loader at the Chandigarh grain market, drew national attention. Abid's life story was a telling tale of the tragic condition of sportsmen in India, from becoming an accomplished National level boxer and a trained coach to ending up as a daily wage worker.
Abid was unable to pursue his passion due to a lack of funds and capital. "All these years have made me believe that bad sportspeople in this country just struggle," he had previously said. Boxing is for the poor and middle class; tennis, badminton, and cricket are only for the wealthy.