It is becoming an increasingly rare feat where achievements
by women in our country need to be looked upon with wonder, considering the
huge strides they continue to take, in spite of all odds. And yet, even this
hadn’t prepared us for the pride we felt last week when our daughters shone
like a beacon in the dark. Notwithstanding another dismal performance by India
at the recently concluded Rio Olympics 2016, the country was saved some major
embarrassment thanks to the amazing display of sporting determination and will
by some of our brave heart champions – all women. Each of their victories was
outstanding because of the story it redefined.
History was written as PV Sindhu
got the silver medal at the Rio Olympics after playing a stupendous finale and
putting up a staunch fight. The 21-year old became the youngest ever Indian to
win an Olympic medal and that too a silver! Sakshi Malik, grabbed the nation’s attention after ending the
metal drought by clinching the bronze medal in the 58kg women’s wrestling
category, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal;
proving that women can excel in “men’s sports” too. Her victory was inspiring
considering she came from a state, Haryana with the lowest sex-ratio in the
country. Dipa Karmakar, barely missed the bronze by a whisker even as she
became the first Indian female gymnast at Olympics, playing a game that hardly
has any funding or support in the country. There were other significant
achievements too made by golfer Aditi Ashok and long-distance runner Lalita
Babar who had qualified for the finals, which is in no way a mean achievement.
It
won’t be wrong to state that there is an advent of rise of women sports
achievers in India, as was evident in the performances put up by our athletes
at Olympics. While the biggest irony remains of course that as a nation we
continue to grudge our daughters their dreams and aspirations – not just in
sports but across fields. Perhaps, it is this that fuels our daughters to excel
more, take greater strides and overcome the odds that are stacked against them
since they are children. And slowly, we are witnessing a gradual rise of individuals
excelling in their practice, sports included. Remarkably, more often than not,
these women achievers are from middle to lower income groups with little or no
support in terms of resources or facilities. Until a few decades ago, sports
would only be the privilege of the wealthy, now we have athletes like Saina
Nehwal (daughter of a government employee), Mary Kom (daughter of a farmer)
etc. fighting against all odds to emerge victorious.
The dismal performance of India at every Olympic is shameful
considering we are the second largest growing economy and also the most
populated. And this isn’t a gender specific problem. The government has to shake
off its apathy and look at measures to adopt models that have worked even if
autonomously, to replicate it across other states. Coaches like Gopichand and Bishweshwar
Nandi (coach of gymnast Dipa Karmakar) should not only be rewarded with
sufficient aid but also encouraged in every possible way so that other such
pools of sporting talent are formed. Also, why wait for athletes to win awards
to only bombard them with cash rewards and endorsements? Dipa didn’t win a
medal but her achievement is unparalleled considering the lack of resources and
infrastructure she faced.
While it is certain that the achievements by our girls will
motivate the next batch of sporting geniuses, we need to as a society
increasingly infuse sports within our lives. And this begins right from school.
It is critical to offer same type of sports to both boys and girls, as we do at
BHIS (Billabong High International School) like offering football, cricket, capeoira
without gender bias helps encourage the girls. We have observed a tremendous
linkage in the terms of the partnerships formed early on, between parents and
school to identify and nurture sporting talent. Sport should be an integral
part of our lives regardless of gender. Each one should play one. However, we
as a people, have a greater responsibility in helping our nation reaching the
stars. For which nation has really achieved anything if their daughters aren’t
empowered to follow their dreams? None, without their daughters!
