Decades after decades, women have toiled hard to liberate themselves from the clutches of patriarchal subjugation and ridiculous marginalisation due to gender stereotypes and irrational social conventions. Starting from the demands for their rights to vote, education, jobs, and more, women have shattered one glass ceiling after another in every aspect. Be it in the political field, academic sector, or sports, women have continued to conquer one obstacle after another, embedding their name in the chapter of history on women empowerment stories and movements in India.
The realm of sports has always been a dominant zone for the males of society as it was believed that the fairer sex was not meant for such rough activities. However, the names like P T Usha, Shanta Rangaswamy, Karnam Maleshwari, Mary Kom, and Mitali Raj prove otherwise, as they are the embodiments of perseverance and determination when it comes to claiming an esteemed position in the profession of sports. Known to be a multitasker all her life, a woman can juggle countless hats at the same time starting from being a responsible adult and career professional to being a daughter, a loving wife, and a caring mother, but the incredible progress that women have made in the field of sports by disproving the societal misgivings on multiple occasions strengthen the fact that women are good in sports and they should be given more opportunities to participate in sports and provided with adequate support structures.
In a country where gender inequality as a social evil is still very much prevalent and practised in spite of all the progressive initiatives and reformations undertaken by the government and society at large, giving women more opportunities to join sports would be a very natural step that has been long overdue. As has been portrayed by several movies and documentaries about women from the remote villages of India nurturing a dream of taking up sports as a profession by fighting all the odds, it is true that the dreams and ambitions of many women are nipped in the bud due to lack of opportunities and support. If these women are given adequate training and provided with all the resources to be a part of the sports teams of India it will not only inculcate confidence in them but also nudge them towards a more realistic vision of accomplishment imparting a fresh lease of life to their long-cherished dreams.
Besides the social factor, mental well-being and physical health is another significant aspect that cannot be overlooked. Regular exercise and a balanced diet are essential for the well-being of every individual and women are no exception. Encouraging women from their childhood to partake in sporting activities would give them the fighting chance to stay active and actively work towards addressing a majority of their health issues, especially arthritis or obesity, leading to achieving the perfect state of health and most importantly, staying in shape. Hence, it is important to encourage women to take up sports by generating opportunities for them in this field, which can be an effective step towards creating a healthy Indian demography. With numerous women getting deprived of opportunities to explore their passions and use their potential to the optimum level to be successful, it cannot be denied that India is losing out on some precious gems and talents to take its growing economy far ahead. There is a whole ocean of sporting talent out there just waiting to be recognised and shaped into skilled, professional, and successful sportspersons.
Here are some of the famous women in sports in India who made the country proud on the international stage and set examples for younger girls to follow. These feisty women are the champions of women’s empowerment and epitomised what success for women in sports in India can look like if given the right opportunity. Take a look:
- Deepika Kumari:
As a child, everyone has heard the story of rags to riches as well as the tales of underdogs reaching the highest pinnacle of success. Deepika Kumari is one of the living examples of this story, especially after starting her journey as a rickshaw driver’s daughter till becoming the number one Indian Archer in the entire world. Deepika Kumari is a prized asset for India, especially for the 2 gold medals and 2 silver medals that she fetched for her country in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in the year 2010.
- The Phogat sisters
So much has already been said about the 2 sisters Geeta Kumari Phogat and Babita Kumari Phogat that there is very little that people don’t know about them. The daughters of former wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat, both Geeta and Babita experienced the proudest moment in their lives when they participated in national and international championships and won gold medals for India.
- Mary Kom:
The story of this fighter is so inspiring that the filmmakers couldn’t resist the urge of making a biopic on her life’s struggles and achievements. Hailing from a very small state Mary Kom made sure that no matter how minuscule her hometown looked on the Indian map, she would write her name in the glorious list of successful sportspersons in Indian history in emblazing gilded letters. That is exactly what she did by disregarding all the apprehensions of being a woman in the sports field and that too boxing, which involves physical stamina and sheer guts to endure massive and countless injuries. Mary Kom did not baulk at the idea of putting her prospect of getting a suitable groom at stake and decided to jump into the ocean of her passion, especially when she took up boxing lessons without her father’s knowledge.
Despite being in the twenty-first century, Indian women are still continuing on their mission to claim their place in society and fighting for the equal rights at opportunities they deserve that is often forcefully suppressed by societal pressures and calls for conformity towards traditional expectations. In this mission, opening new avenues and granting opportunities for women to participate in Indian sports by the sports academies and Indian government, is a necessity. With adequate support, women will undertake a remarkable journey to success and learn to wield sport as the strongest weapon in this patriarchal society to claim gender equality.
