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These inspiring Indian sportswomen have battled the odds and come out winners, in a country that does not always give them their due.
In a country where female foeticide is rampant and girls are considered to be a burden, it may come as no shock that female athletes are neither encouraged nor treated at par with their male counterparts. But here’s a list of women who have excelled despite the circumstances. They never let their problems come in the way of their success.
Bachendri Pal was the first Indian woman to have climbed Mt Everest in the year 1984 , but little do people know she opposed stiff opposition from society and family in doing so. Being a girl from a rural family, people did not understand the reason behind giving up everything to climb a mountain!.
Originally a national level volleyball player, she is now the first amputee to climb Mt Everest. She lost her leg after falling out of a train in order to save herself from a group of hooligans who were trying to steal her gold chain. She is a perfect example of the saying “Where there’s a will , there is a way”. Her life is truly inspirational.
She has helped India win it’s first ever gold medal in wrestling in the 55 kg freestyle category at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. During her childhood, she and her family suffered stiff opposition and hatred from the community because wrestling was considered a boys game in Haryana. However she has now shut up all those voices with her gold medal.
Being paralyzed from the waist below did not deter her motivation or drive to achieve something in her life. She went on to become India’s most celebrated international para athlete. She was won over 400 medals for our country.
Also known as ‘Punching machine’ among her coaches, she is from a small town in Manipur, and wants to make her name in the boxing arena. Just like her ideal Mary Kom, she has risen from her humble background to make the nation proud.
Born in a middle class family in Bengal, little did her family know that she would becomes the fastest bowler in women’s cricket. She had to commute two hours each way, three times a week to practice. She had to face a lot of difficulties being a girl, during the journey. But all this did not let her lose her love for cricket.
She is the first Tamilian woman ever to have won a medal in the Asian games. She was born to an extremely poor family that could not afford to have two meals a day. Yet she rose above that to win a silver medal in the 2006 Asian games in Doha. Unfortunately, after failing a gender verification test, she was stripped of her medal.
Once a celebrated sprinter in India. But her dream ran short after she failed a dope test and was banned from running. Later on it was revealed was she wasn’t the only one to use dope. This was followed by a complete boycott of all involved by the athletics fraternity.
However she made a comeback by winning a national gold medal for shot-put.
Born to a tribal family in Nasik, she didn’t have any kind of resources but was spotted while running barefoot in a national school level meet by SAI coach Vijendra Singh. From there her journey to win the bronze medal in the 2010 Commonwealth games is commendable.
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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