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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Earlier my husband would say, 'Arey! What is there in making dal-roti? It's so simple.' After he had to cook everyday when I was ill, he has stopped saying that to me!
“Arey! What is there to do in making dal roti? Put a handful of lentils in the cooker and let it whistle and make two rotis. After all, how long will it take?” A handful of dal (lentils) and two rotis! This is the story of every woman and no one seems to understand.
Some time ago, after a shopping spree, my husband and I entered the house, exhausted. I had just about kept all the bags aside, when my husband said, “I am very hungry, can you make something.”
I looked at my husband in amazement and thought, ‘He had just had food, how did he get hungry again so soon?’
My husband, as if he had read my face, said, “Arey! You know that my stomach is not filled with outside food. Just make dal roti. What is there to do in making dal roti? Put a handful of lentils in the cooker and let it whistle and make two rotis. After all, how long will it take?”
‘Is this the way dal (lentils) and roti are made?’ The thought came to my mind. ‘After all, I also went along and now I am tired too.’ I was also getting angry at myself that after all, I had spoiled the habit of everyone in the house.
Nirmala disconnected, and turned to speak to Amma. But she was long gone. Once more, the poor kitchen utensils were bearing the brunt of Amma’s temper.
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Nirmala grimaced as she picked up her cup of tea. It was cold and had a greasy film over it. Her class had lasted two hours, and she had been talking continuously for most of it. Her back was aching and her throat was sore.
These truly inspiring Indian women prove that nothing is impossible if you have the will to do it with determination, courage and passion.
They are from different backgrounds but they have a common mission – to stop at nothing and do what they believe in. Some of them came from small towns, are not so literate, got married in childhood and belonged to unstable families, while others challenged the stereotypes and did something substantial in fields which were ruled only by men till then. Some of them showed that even physical illness could not stop them since they had the passion and drive to reach their goals.
You may have a tough life, but the stories of these women will show you why that need not stop you from raising your voice on issues that matter.
The poster girl of the anti-tobacco campaign in India, Sunita Tomar came from a small town in Madhya Pradesh. She was married at the early age of fourteen and soon, a mother to two young sons. Over time, she developed oral cancer due to chewing smokeless tobacco. She says that she did it for the pleasure, knowing little of its harmful effects. When Sunita was chosen to participate in a Public Service Announcement (PSA) by sharing her personal testimony, she agreed in order to create awareness in the country, despite the terrible pain and arduous treatment she was going through. It is sad that she lost the battle to cancer and died on April 1st 2015.
Sixteen year old Shivangi Pathak from Haryana, becomes the youngest Indian woman to scale Mount Everest. Her story reinstates the belief that women can achieve anything if they set their hearts to it.
Sixteen year old Shivangi Pathak from Haryana, becomes the youngest Indian woman to scale Mount Everest. Her story reinforces the belief that women can achieve anything if they set their hearts to it.
Shivangi Pathak from Hisar, who scaled the topmost peak of the world along with other climbers, is an inspiration for all women.
By dint of sheer determination, a teen girl from an ordinary household reached the top of the mountain on Thursday, last week. It took over a month of expedition, that began in Nepal on 6th of April. She landed in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, along with her trekking mates, to set foot atop the invincible peak of Everest and brought unprecedented glory to the Indian Subcontinent.
Like any other common Indian young girl, she was also flowing along the stream of monotonous academic life. She often realised she could not diligently concentrate on her studies as the suppressed magma of adventure was steaming within her heart. One day, she visited a seminar with her mother when she was 15 years old, and watched a biopic on Arunima Sinha (first female amputee to climb Mt. Everest from India). This incident became a milestone in her life which made her believe that if Arunima Sinha could achieve such a daring triumph, then she also can do it. She tried to focus on her studies again but couldn’t do it. Finally she took a call and decided to go for explore mountaineering.