Shivani Dube, national wrestler, struggling to get citizenship card

Shivani Dube is a recognised name in wrestling. Her contribution to the country is immense. She won seven gold medals at national level wrestling and silver medals at international competitions.

However, she is crying for a citizenship certificate. Her father is an Indian national and her mother is a Nepali.

The Dadeldhura district administration office has reportedly denied her citizenship reasoning that 'the provision to issue a citizenship card in the name of mother has yet to be implemented'.

Raju Dube, a father of Shivani, has been living in Nepal since he married Radhika Rokka of Dadeldhura in 2056 BS.

At present, the Dube family is living at Khaireni of Bhimdatta Municipality-3 in Kanchanpur district. They depend on daily wages for a living.

The district administration officials reportedly returned Shivani empty-handed when she reached out for a citizenship card for flying to Norway for a wrestling championship.

"Sports players are ornaments of a country. They help raise the image of a country. It is sad that my daughter is fighting for a citizenship certificate despite her immense contributions to the country," lamented Raju, a former national wrestling player.

Shivani, the eldest of three children of the Dube couple, is of the view that she should get a citizenship card in the name of her mother.

She joined wrestling at the age of 15. She won a silver medal in the 53 kilograms group in the 13th South Asian Games (SAG). "I did not have to return empty-handed from any tournaments so far. I am dreaming of playing an Olympic," he shared.

The National Sports Council (NSC) has taken initiatives in helping Shivani get the document, said Raju Silwal.

"The Dadeldhura district administration office denied daughter (Shivani) a citizenship card, reasoning that the provision to grant the document in the name of mother has yet to be implemented. However, I have got a ray of hope as the Wrestling Association and the NSC have taken initiatives," he said.

"I have heard that a national cricket player has got a citizenship certificate in a similar case. So I believe Shivani should get the document in a similar fashion," he said.

Wrestling Coach Rajendra Bahadur Chand has demanded that Shivani gets a citizenship certificate after going through legal processes.