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India’s weightlifting Olympian, Karnam Malleswari proved that if a woman desired, she could become physically as strong - or even stronger than men.
BANGKOK : India's Karnam Malleswari raises the bar over her head during the snatch competition in women's weightlifting at the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok on Thursday. She won the first medal for India, a silver, in the 63kg class competition with a total lift of 230 kg. AP/PTI
India’s weightlifting Olympian, Karnam Malleswari proved that if a woman desired, she could become physically as strong – or even stronger than men.
When Karnam Malleswari went on to win the bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, she became the first woman to win an Olympic medal for India.
Malleswari remains a path-breaking sportsperson by breaking stereotypes about women in a sport which is often neglected in India apart from being considered as “masculine”. Her wish is to continue contributing by coaching and helping other young women take up weightlifting.
True to her name Karnam which in Sanskrit means Dignity, Pride and Fame, Malleswari won accolades for herself and for her country – making everyone proud of her achievements.
Malleswari has been bestowed with some of the highest honours in India. She was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award as well as the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Arjuna Award in 1994.
Why we find her inspiring:
– For not letting social conditioning prevent her from chasing her passion
– For her dedication and all the sacrifices she had to make to reach the top spot
– For being comfortable with her body and image and using them to her advantage, inspite of the hoopla surrounding size zero bodies
– For boldly speaking out about shortcomings in the players selection processes
*Photo credit: http://www.sawnet.org
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Neena was the sole caregiver of Amma and though one would think that Amma was dependent on her, Neena felt otherwise.
Neena inhaled the aroma that emanated from the pan and took a deep breath. The aroma of cumin interspersed with butter transported her back to the modest kitchen in her native village. She could picture her father standing in the kitchen wearing his white crisp kurta as he made delectable concoctions for his only daughter.
Neena grew up in a home where both her parents worked together in tandem to keep the house up and running. She had a blissful childhood in her modest two-room house. The house was small but every nook and cranny gave her memories of a lifetime. Neena’s young heart imagined that her life would follow the same cheerful course. But how wrong she was!
When she was sixteen, the catastrophic clutches of destiny snatched away her parents. They passed away in a road accident and Neena was devastated. Relatives thronged her now gloomy house and soon it was decided that she should be married off.
Being a writer, Nivedita Louis recognises the struggles of a first-time woman writer and helps many articulate their voice with development, content edits as a publisher.
“I usually write during night”, says author Nivedita Louis during our conversation. Chuckling she continues,” It’s easier then to focus solely on writing. Nivedita Louis is a writer, with varied interests and one of the founders of Her Stories, a feminist publishing house, based in Chennai.
In a candid conversation she shared her journey from small-town Tamil Nadu to becoming a history buff, an award-winning author and now a publisher.
Nivedita was born and raised in a small town in Tamil Nadu. It was for schooling that she first arrived in Chennai. Then known as Madras, she recalls being awed by the city. Her love-story with the city, its people and thus began which continues till date. She credits her perseverance and passion to make a difference to her days as a vocational student among the elite sections of Madras.
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