Bengaluru: "Our father is an auto driver. We are rank students with 38 gold medals in sports. Please sponsor us," reads an appeal in an auto-rickshaw in Bengaluru.

The vehicle belongs to Sharieff, who has been woring as an auto-rickshaw driver for the last 26 years in Bengaluru. Driving the rickshaw, he has been toiling hard to pay for his children’s education.

Speaking to News18, Sharieff said, "My children are gold medallists. I am unable to earn enough to pay for my children’s education, despite working hard.” Sharieff wanted to be a cricketer, but due to financial issues he could not pursue his dream.

Sharieff has three children, two boys and a girl. All of them are interested in cricket, apart from doing well in academics. His eldest son Fazulla is a 9th class student and has been selected for the under-16 state zonal team. Fazulla says that he is inspired by Umesh Yadav.

Sharieff has even sought help from cricket coach and owner of Karnataka Institute of Cricket (KIOC) Irfan Sait, who has coached cricketers like Virat Kohli ad Rohit Sharma. Sait has agreed to train Sharieff’s children without charging any fees.

His other two children, 15-year-old Nagma and 14-year-old Rizwan, are also passionate about cricket and are also enrolled KIOC.

“I won 15 gold and silver medals in running, short putt, discus throw. My hero is Jhulan Goswami and I want to be like her in future,’’ Nagma told News18.

Their coach Irfan Sairat is also happy with the performance of the children and is optimistic about their future. "They have a bright future and I will do as much as I can," he said.