It’s a man’s world, literally and figuratively, especially if you’re living in India. And if you feel a celebrity status will wipe that off, you’re oh-so-wrong! We’re a hypocritical lot, you see. We celebrate women’s day with pomp and show, yet, deep down in our thought process, a good woman is one who ditches her flourishing career to embrace the pots and pans and walk around with flour-stained clothes. For the average woman, that’s easier. But for one who has the chance to represent her nation, the choice becomes a rather difficult one. Women athletes in India are respected superficially, but their lives are nothing but a saga of struggle; of unending battles between passion and pressure. Welcome to the unfortunate world of Indian women athletes.
On one hand we have the Saina Nehwals, Mary Koms and the Sania Mirzas, but on the other hand, we also have names like Ritu Rani, Surinder Kaur, Jhulan Goswami and even a Deepika Kumari, most of whom the rest of the junta hasn’t even heard about. They are champions in their own right, but do any one us bother to know? No, really not.
Ignorance is bliss. Really?
Not knowing them is one part of the problem, but the bigger and darker part is knowing them and still discriminating them. The senior badminton national level players do not even get paid. They have to arrange for their own travel and accommodation expenses and hunt for private sponsors. What’s worse is, women’s teams often travel by trains, while their male counterparts are whisked away in flights. Even in a money-minting game like cricket, the eves struggle to get sponsored and cheered. Jhulan Goswami, one of the best bowlers in the world is virtually an unknown name to many. “Oh she must be someone from the management, she doesn’t look like a player,†I overheard one of the few boys who had gone to watch a match saying.
Pushed to oblivion
Santhi Soundarajan. Who on earth is that, you might be wondering. For your benefit, she’s the 2006 Doha Asiad silver medallist. Instead of continuing competitive athletics and winnings more laurels for the country, she’s sweating it out at a brick factory in some remote corner of Tamil Nadu, eking out a living at Rs 200 a day. Her fault: she apparently failed a gender test, owing to which the Athletics Federation of India washed its hands off her case. Neither the media, nor the authorities concerned have taken up the case.
Lights, cameras and breakdowns
If pushing athletes to oblivion is one side of the story, breathing down their necks for bytes is another aspect. Take for instance world no 1 archer Deepika Kumari, who was pushed to the point of breaking down in full media glare, just because they wanted ‘exclusive’ bytes. If these champions need anything, it is just respect and consideration. PT Usha too once broke down, confessing about poor facilities for women athletes. A champion of her stature was made to share accommodation with five others, post which she cited the plight of new athletes.
Game of shame
If accommodation itself is a problem, security becomes another major issue. How safe are women athletes in India? Just imagine when an Olympic medallist boxer confesses that she doesn’t feel safe while travelling. It’s scary. Women athlete are molested almost everyday. There are stories that never make it to the papers. Remember the 22-year old sprinter who was molested in Saharanpur and was left critically injured after the molesters ran a car over her? Remember the SAI javelin throw coach who was accused of molesting his athlete? Remember MK Kaushik, the former national women’s hockey coach who was accused of molesting some players? Yes, we remember. We remember and shudder with fear. We condemn. But what else do we do? Nothing.
Being a woman athlete in India is nothing less than impossible and scary. But then, women still take it up, chasing their dreams and hoping to wave a wand and transform the situation. A magic wand is what we are waiting for too. Till then, a big salute to all the women, who juggle home and sports, battle discrimination and fear and still bag laurels for the nation. Inspiration, thy name is woman!