From grabbing the cricket World Cup trophy to Sachin Tendulkar’s emotional retirement to being the undefeated Kabaddi champions to Mary Kom’s amazing come back, here are 24 memorable moments of Indian sports history that you will love to go back in time and relive!

India has some amazing talents in various fields and sports is indeed one of them. From the most talked about game of cricket to making headway in some lesser known sports as well, and gradually increasing medal tallies at international events, India has come a long way.

Here are 24 such amazing and memorable events in Indian sports history which still fill us with pride and respect –

1951 – 1962: Indian Football team’s glorious years

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The 1950s and 1960s were the glorious years for the Indian Football team and it ranked among the top 20 teams of the world. Under the tutelage of the legendary Syed Abdul Rahim, they won the 1951 and 1962 Asian Games, and finished fourth in the 1956 Olympics. During the team’s peak period, they were automatically advanced to play in the 1950 FIFA World Cup. But they could not participate in the games due to lack of resources, financial constraints and other internal issues. Let’s tap the hidden talent in our country and bring back Indian football into the league?

1952 – Khashaba Jadhav, the first Indian to win an individual Olympic medal for India

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Born in a family of wrestlers, Jadhav won a bronze medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics and became the first Indian to win a medal at this platform. His bright future in wrestling was visible ever since he won his first wrestling bout at the age of eight in just two minutes against a local champion wrestler. He won his Olympic medal after defeating players from Mexico, Canada and Germany. Unlike today, when players are welcomed with a lot of media attention, Jadhav was just greeted by his fellow villagers after the remarkable feat!

1958 – Mihir Sen crossed the English Channel and became the first Indian to do so

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Known as the first Indian to conquer the English Channel from Dover to Calais in 1958, Mihir also created history by being the only man to swim the five oceans in one calendar year in 1966. By the time of his death at the age of 66 in 1997, Sen also had his name recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records for long distance swimming. Enough reasons to feel proud of this amazing sportsman, we guess!

1960 – Milkha Singh broke the 400m Olympic record but lost the bronze by just 0.1 seconds

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Who doesn’t know about this Flying Sikh’s contribution to Indian sports? And when we talk about some of India’s most memorable sporting moments, we cannot skip Singh’s performance in the 1960 Olympics where he broke the 400m Olympic record but still lost the bronze by just 0.1 seconds. He also won Gold medals in the 1958 and 1962 Asian Games.

1960 – Ramanathan Krishnan reached world no.6 in Tennis rankings

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We all know about tennis sensation Sania Mirza’s amazing contribution to popularizing the sport in India. But, did you know that Ramanathan Krishnan was one of the leading tennis players in the world during his peak gaming period in the 1950s and 1960s? He was a semi-finalist at the Wimbledon in 1960 and 1961 and reached an amazing world ranking of number six. In 1954, he became the first Asian player to win the boys’ singles title at Wimbledon.

1975 – India won World Cup Hockey, Malaysia

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In this historical victory against Pakistan on 15th March 1975, India won the Hockey World Cup held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with a score of 2-1. Players like Ajit Pal, who was the captain of the team, and Aslam Sher Khan played a crucial role in this victory. India has 8 Olympic Gold Medals under its name which is a great achievement in itself.

When it comes to Hockey, the contribution of Dhyanchand cannot be skipped. “The Wizard” led the Indian Hockey team to victory several times including the 1936 Berlin Olympics victory over Germany which was witnessed by over 40,000 people including Hitler. Hitler got so furious with the match result that he left the stadium in frustration and anger. Legend has it that the next day, he invited Dhyanchand to meet him and offered him German citizenship along with a high post in the German army, which Dhyanchand politely refused.

1980 – Praksh Padukone wins All England Badminton Title

Mussarat Kang/ Wikipedia

After registering a victory over Liem Swie King of Indonesia, Padukone became the first Indian to win the All England Badminton championships. One of the finest badminton players produced by India, Padukone was awarded the Arjuna Award and also the Padma Shri for his achievements. He has won the nationals championships for a record nine times.

1982 – India’s Golf stars win Gold at the Asian Games

Jeev Milkha Singh

Pvt Pauline/ Wikimedia

Indian Golf teams brought India into the spotlight by winning gold in the 1982 and silver in the 2006 Asian Games respectively. ‘Bunny’ Laxman Singh, Rajiv Mohta, Rishi Narain and Amit Luthra represented the Indian Golf team. Apart from these amazing victories, Jeev Milha Singh’s contributions to this sport cannot be ignored as he became the first player from India to join the European Tour in 1998. He has won three European Tour Titles, four Japan Golf Tour titles and six Asian Tour tiles, after defeating some of the best players in the world.

1983 – Cricket World Cup Victory. Repeated in 2011.

Pic Source: AshwiniKalantri / Wikimedia

India created a much talked about history when it won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1983 by defeating the West Indies. In the nail-biting final, India lost the toss and was asked to bat first against WI, which arguably had the world’s best bowling attack at the time. India managed to score just 183 runs overall and were in low spirits. “Team, if this is not a winning total its definitely a fighting total,” Kapil Dev, the then captain of the team said. And, India did put up a brave fight, defeating the opponent by 43 runs in a remarkable way. Catch the highlights of that

Apart from the 1983 victory, India created history once again by winning its second World Cup title in 2011 by defeating Sri Lanka at the Wankhade Stadium in Mumbai. India became the first country ever to win the World Cup on its home ground. The much-awaited victory won millions of hearts and was certainly an emotional and proud moment for the entire nation. Remember the last over? Here it is!

1986 – P. T. Usha’s victory at Asian Games

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Usha won four gold medals and one silver medal in the track and field events of the 1986 Asian Games. She was also awarded the trophy for the Best Athlete in the world. Her splendid victories made her a household name and brightened the prospects of female athletes in India.

1999 – The amazing duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi

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The Paes – Bhupathi duo was unbeatable and created history whenever they played together. They reached the finals of the men’s doubles in all four grand slams and the ATP Masters in 1999 and also won the French Open and Wimbeldon. Paes’ amazing performance also took India to the semi finals of the Davis Cup in 1993. We sure miss the duo’s amazing performances together now!

2000 – Karnam Malleswari’s glorious performance at the Olympics

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Malleswari wrote yet another golden chapter in Indian sports history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. Malleswari bagged a bronze in the 69 kg category of the weight-lifting championship at Sydney Olympics in 2000. She started the competition with a brave lead where she entered the competition at 105 kgs, while other lifters opted for a 100 kgs weight, and she later went up to 110 kgs over the next two attempts. Watch for yourself how effortless she made it look!

2000 – Viswanathan Anand wins the World Chess Championship

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Once nicknamed the “Lightning Kid”, Anand marked a remarkable victory by winning the FIDE World Chess Championship in 2000. He became the first Indian to win a world chess championship. He again won the FIDE championship in 2007. He has won world championships five times and Lubomir Kavalek, the great chess player, once called him one of the most versatile world champions ever.

2002 – Kumble bowled with a broken jaw

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There are some moments in history where one man steals the show, and this was one such moment where Kumble’s passion for the game even overshadowed his jaw injury. In 2002, when India was playing a Test match against West Indies and it was Kumble’s turn to bowl, he came out from the pavilion end with a bandage tied across his jaw and bowled 14 overs against Brian Lara till he finally got him out. Though the match tied but Kumble won many hearts.

Another inspiring moment came when spinner Kumble took 10 wickets in a match against Pakistan in 1999. After the magical bowling by Kumble (10 for 74), at the moment he took the final wicket, the entire crowd of thousands of viewers started chanting his name and the Indian team carried Kumble back to the pavilion in their arms. We still get the chills when we think about this amazing event. See each of these wickets taken here:

2003 – Anju Bobby George’s remarkable long jump

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Anju Bobby George created history and became the first Indian medalist at the World Athletics Championships, when she took the long jump (6.70 m) bronze in Paris in 2003. Later, in 2005, she won a gold medal at the IAAF World Athletics, which she considers her best performance. Her success brought her from the 61st place in 2001 to the 6th place in the world rankings in 2003. She holds the current Indian national record in long jump with her personal best of 6.83 meters.

2004 – The unbeaten Indian Kabbaddi team marks its first win at the first Kabaddi World Cup

Indian men Kabaddi team at Asian Games 2014

Did you know that India has won all five Kabaddi world cups played till now? How amazing is that! With the recent 2014 Asian Games win by both the men and women Kabaddi teams, India has marked its unbeaten territory in this sport. Apart from 2014, India has won Gold medals in the Asian Games in 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010.

2004 – Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore’s much talked about Silver medal

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When India’s ace shooter Rathore bagged a silver medal after scoring 179 points at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, it created quite a stir nationwide. He gave India its first silver medal in an individual event at the Olympics.

2005 – Pankaj Advani won the World Billiards Championships

Pic Courtesy: Benutzer: Bill da Flute / Wikimedia

National snooker star Pankaj Advani created a sensation when he won the IBSF World Billiards Championship in 2005 at Qawra, Malta, and became the first player to achieve a “grand double” by winning both time and point formats. He also won the World Championship in 2003 at the age of 18 and became the youngest Indian to win the title. He has eight world titles under his name so far.

Apart from Advani, Snooker has seen yet another amazing player Geet Sethi who has six professional titles and three amateur level World Cup titles along with two world records under his belt.

2005 – Narain Karthikeyan became first F1 driver from India

Pic Source: Cobra bubbles/ Wikimedia

In a country like India where obsession with cricket is not hidden, we saw a new sports sensation in Narain Kathikeyan when this young racer became India’s first Formula One motor racing driver. After him, Karun Chandok too joined the sport, and thanks to their initial momentum, now there is an Indian F1 team and an Indian Grand Prix circuit.

2007 – Six sixes in an over by Yuvraj Singh

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Who can forget the amazing six sixes in one over by Yuvraj Singh in the T20 Cricket World Cup 2007 match against England? Singh’s incredible batting against Stuart Broad was a treat for cricket fans across the globe. The first ball was hit hard and sent to cow corner while the second ball went to backward square leg followed by four other amazing sixes. His incredible innings won him a record of making a half century in just 12 balls. Singh’s incredible batting paid off and India won the match (also becoming the first T20 champions).

Watch this video to relive the amazing over –

2008 – Abhinav Bindra’s gold medal at the 2008 Olympics

Abhinav Bindra’s glorious gold medal in the men’s 10m air rifle shooting competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympics marked India’s arrival in the international sports scene apart from cricket. This splendid victory not only brought India in the limelight but also made Bindra the first Indian to win an individual gold medal at the Olympic Games. Check out the gold winning moment here:

2009 – Saina Nehwal becomes the first Indian woman to win a Super Series Tournament

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Nehwal is among those very few players who have brought badminton into the limelight. She became the first Indian to win a Super Series tournament as she grabbed the much deserved title after defeating a higher ranked Lin Wang from China in Jakarta.

Nehwal also made India immensely proud when she won a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics. After the victory, instead of celebrating the victory in the court, Nehwal showed a more humble side and first went to the Chinese player who was retired from the match after an injury.

2012 – Sachin Tendulkar’s 100th century and retirement

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The “God” of Indian cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, has always been the country’s pride. At each match he played throughout his career, the entire nation kept faith in him to lead India to a victory. In 2012, Tendulkar proved his amazing batting capabilities yet again as he became the first batsman to make a 100 international centuries. People across the globe talked about this much awaited event and even created a Facebook page named I Was Alive When Sachin Made 100th Century!

Another emotional moment in the history of Indian cricket was Tendulkar’s retirement. Millions of fans shed tears as the master blaster bid goodbye to his 24 year long cricketing career. Take a peek at Tendulkar’s retirement speech that made everyone emotional –

2014 – Mary Kom’s “golden” come back

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Five time world champion and Olympic bronze medallist Mary Kom captured everyone’s heart with her first Asian Games gold medal in the women’s 48-51 kg boxing. The victory was even more special for her as she had returned to the ring after a break of two years in which she delivered her third baby. Three cheers for the strong come back!

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On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we can’t think of a more inspiring woman than India’s fastest one, 19 years old Dutee Chand, who has been courageously fighting against years of gender prejudice for the right to compete in the women’s athletic events. The strong woman athlete from Orissa refused to accept the verdict that sports bodies thrust on her for her natural body condition, and decided to put up a fight. Here’s her amazing story of struggles and small victories. 

Modest background

Dutee belongs to a modest weaving family in Orissa with limited means. Inspired by the success of her sister, Saraswati Chand, Dutee took to the track events with great enthusiasm. Dutee had a sterling career in junior athletics with the rare distinction of reaching the finals of the 100 metre event in the World Youth Athletics meet in 2013. The same year, Dutee won the crown of India’s fastest women in the national championships at Ranchi. The world was her oyster and age was on her side. Indian fans were looking forward to hailing a new athletics star.

Dutee Taking the Road Less Travelled. (Image Credits: Mint & Dutee’s Facebook page)

A Swift Fall – But not from Grace?

But little did Dutee know that she would find herself enmeshed in the complex world of gender determination and of rules made by sports bodies on the basis of scientific analysis and not human feelings.

On July 12, 2014, Dutee Chand was unceremoniously pulled out from the India continent going for the Commonwealth Games. After subjecting Dutee to a battery of tests and without providing her with any background or information, the Indian sports officials sent her home.

Dutee was informed about the issue much later. She was diagnosed with a condition known as ‘hyperandrogenism’ (excess of androgens, which in this case meant excessive testosterone) and hence deemed ineligible to participate.

The background to this ruling was a decision in 2011 by the IAAF (International Amateur Athletics Federation) to test for excessive testosterone as a means to determine the eligibility of contestants for participating in women’s athletics events.

Suddenly, for a naturally occurring condition in her body, Dutee was left to face social stigma and ostracism. There was nothing that Dutee had done or could do to correct this anomaly, and yet she was deemed to be the guilty party and was pulled out of the Commonwealth games contingent.

From winning laurels for the country this young girl had to seek solace in taking up work with her employer, the Indian Railways. From punching her air ticket for foreign lands and international athletic meets, she was instead punching tickets at a Mumbai railway station.

Dutee checking tickets at a Mumbai railway station. (Image Credits Dutee Facebook page and Real Sports)

A History of Gender Testing

Dutee is not the first to come under such scrutiny. Caster Semenya of South Africa and Pinki Pramanik and Santhi Soundarajan of India have had to face public humiliation after failing what were known earlier as gender tests. Most of these athletes went with the tide. The gender scrutiny being too much to handle, they hung up their shoes or undertook surgery to limit testosterone production.

Dutee too was given the option to return to the track on the condition that she takes hormone suppressing drugs or gets a surgery done to limit testosterone production. Dutee turned down the offer.

Dutee Chand, chose to take the road less traveled – and instead challenged the basis of such a law. Given her need to maintain financial security, it would have been an easy decision to cave in to the needs of a law that was ironically drafted to ensure fair competition in the women’s events. Instead Dutee maintained that (as reported by NYTimes),

“I feel that it’s wrong to have to change your body for sport participation. I’m not changing for anyone.”

Dutee took the lead in the fight against gender scrutiny and discrimination as well (Image Credit: FairnessForDuteeChand Facebook page)

A key difference from previous cases in India was the sensitivity with which it was eventually handled by SAI (Sports Authority of India), led by Jiji Thomson and the support she received almost immediately from researcher and activist, Payoshini Mitra.

Thomson ensured that Payoshini was able to mentor and counsel Dutee Chand and provided her with strong organizational support from SAI. With support from Thomson and Payoshini Mitra, Dutee challenged the verdict against her by filing an appeal to CAS in October. CAS reviewed her case and on December 21st, an interim order was passed by them allowing Dutee Chand to participate in domestic meets in India.

The Return

Dutee could run again.

And once again she ran with great success. After the December 21st ruling, she got only five days to prepare for the Orissa state meet but she still came through with flying colours! In 12 seconds, Dutee claimed the right to represent Orissa in the National Games.

A National Champion Again

In the National Games in February this year, after seven months in the wilderness, Dutee reclaimed her sprinting title with a timing of 11.76 in the women’s 100 metre event.

While Dutee still awaits the final judgement from CAS, there is little doubt about her courage and ability to face the situation on her own terms. She is indeed a 21st Century heroine, brave and yet sensible, unbending and unflinching against adversity and yet comfortable in her own skin and body.

“Women are women irrespective of their natural testosterone level. It’s not like Dutee’s cheating and she shouldn’t be discriminated against because of the way nature made her.”

– Tony Briffa, Australia

Dutee represents the unflinching and unbending spirit of a woman (Image Credit: FairnessForDuteeChand Facebook page)

Dutee loves to race and is a sprinter. This time she has chosen to run a marathon. And on the occasion of International Women’s Day, we can all join together to tell her that she does not “Run Alone”. You can support Dutee on her website here and on her Facebook page here .

CAS will be making a final decision on her eligibility for international competition around March 25, 2015 and we hope they do their duty towards Dutee with fairness.

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Here is all you need to know about river rafting in Rishikesh – the names of the famous rapids, the many rafting stretches, the best season and much more! Also check out some of the most amazing rafting stretches in Rishikesh.

“Life is like the river, sometimes it sweeps you gently along and sometimes the rapids come out of nowhere.” 

― Emma Smith

River rafting is an unmatched adventure offering an adrenaline rush in the midst of gushing rapids. It is a challenging and delightful adventure activity in which a rafter navigates through a river. There are several river rafting destinations all around the globe. In India as well, there are many destinations providing river rafting opportunities. Rishikesh, the rafting capital of India, is arguably the best destination for rafting in India. The turquoise waters of the Ganges render immense scope for rafting here.

No matter whether an adventurer is a novice or an expert, Rishikesh offers the perfect rafting opportunity. This exhilaration is raised to the next level by the breathtakingly beautiful surroundings. A number of rapids across different grades and stretches make it convenient for all rafters to choose the excursion as per their skills. Let’s explore all the important aspects of rafting in Rishikesh.

The different grades of rapids in Rishikesh:

The rapids are categorized based on the level of the challenges they offer. In total, there are six grades of rapids found around the globe. In Rishikesh, five grades of rapids are available:

• Grade: 1 – Easy navigation across mild streams. Almost no risk involved.
• Grade: 2 – Holds notably apart obstacles or rocks and proffers easy maneuver.
• Grade: 3 – Reasonably adventurous rapids and require good judgment.
• Grade: 4 – These rapids are strong enough to tumble the raft.
• Grade: 5 – Dangerous rapids. Strictly for experts.

The names of major rapids in Rishikesh:

• Black Money (Grade 1)
• Sweet Sixteen (Grade 1)
• Good Morning (Grade 1)
• Body Surfing (Grade 1)
• Club House (Grade 2)
• Initiation (Grade 2)
• Double Trouble (Grade 2)
• Hilton (Grade 2)
• Terminator (Grade 2)
• Shivpuri Rapid (Grade 2+)
• Three Blind Mice (Grade 3)
• Cross Fire (Grade 3)
• Roller coaster (Grade 3)
• Golf Course (Grade 3)
• Return to Sender (Grade 3)
• Daniel’s Dip (Grade 3+)
• The Great Wall (Grade 4)

Rafting stretches in Rishikesh

The major stretches found in Rishikesh are as follows:

Brahampuri to Rishikesh

Shivpuri to Laxman Jhula

This stretch offers a great exhilaration and it is a suitable option for elders, kids and families. Rejuvenating water splashes offer utter delight to the adventurers. The rapids in this stretch are of mild nature. For all those novices who want to try river rafting expedition in Rishikesh for the first time, the Brahamapuri to Rishikesh stretch can be the ideal one.

• Stretch Length: 9 Kilometers
• Grades of Rapids: II
• Major Rapids: Sweet Sixteen, Body Surfing, Terminator, Hilton and Double Trouble
• Approx time taken: 1.5 to 2 hours

Shivpuri to Rishikesh

Shivpuri to Rishikesh

This stretch offers rapids of intermediate difficulty level. The rapids are of Grade II and III and can make the rafter skip a heartbeat. This neither too easy nor very tough stretch is ideal for second timers. Without a doubt, Shivpuri to Rishikesh stretch renders an intriguing amalgamation of thrill and pleasure to the adventure enthusiast.

• Stretch Length: 16 Kilometers
• Grades of Rapids: II and III
• Major Rapids: Roller Coaster, Return to Sender, Double Trouble and Golf Course
• Approx time taken: 3 to 3.5 hours

Marine Drive to Rishikesh

It is a difficult but completely thrilling rafting stretch. This stretch offers Grade II and III rapids full of thrills and spills. After crossing Shivpuri, the rapids become less demanding and offer ample time for adventurers to relax and relish the picturesque backdrop. In total, there are 14 rapids on the route. It is an ideal route for all the rafters having some rafting experience.

• Stretch Length: 27 Kilometers
• Grades of Rapids: I, II and III
• Major Rapids: Black Money, Cross Fire, Golf Course and Three Blind Mice
• Approx time taken: 4.5 to 5 hours

Kaudiyala to Rishikesh

Rafting in Ganga River

This stretch is strictly meant for experienced rafters. It is an extremely invigorating rafting route and encompasses one of the most difficult rapids around the globe – The Wall (a VI+ Grade rapid). The rapids on the route are perilous and thus require loads of strength, determination and skill.

• Stretch Length: 36 Kilometers
• Grades of Rapids: Grade I, II, III and IV
• Major Rapids: The Wall, Eddy Whirlpool and Daniel’s Dip
• Approx time taken: 8 to 9 hours

Few more points to remember…

Best season: From mid-February to May and then from Mid-September to November

Reaching Rishikesh 

• By Air: Jolly Grant (21 kilometers) in Dehradun is the nearest airport.
• By Rail: Haridwar Junction (21 kilometers) in Haridwar is the nearest major railhead.
• By Bus: Rishikesh has a fine network of buses linking it with important places such as Dehradun, Haridwar and New Delhi.

No matter what itinerary an adventurer chooses, Rishikesh offers an unforgettable and awe-inspiring rafting experience in the midst of hued mountains and silvery rapids.

All photos: Alaknandariverrafting.in

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As tomorrow’s crucial cricket match approaches, our reader Nalin Rai talks about skipper MS Dhoni’s unmatched abilities that have brought the team to this level. Read more to know why Dhoni is one of the best things that ever happened to Indian cricket.

In just a few hours from now, one of the most decisive moments in Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s life will arrive when India faces Australia in the Semi-Finals of the ICC World Cup 2015. Critics are already sharpening their fangs and giving allusions to some vitriol they might spread if India were to lose to Australia, forgetting the fact that he has broken all records that need to be broken and has stamped an authority on World Cricket through his performance and his conduct, which would be a feat difficult for his successors to emulate for quite a long time to come.

Obviously fans of Dhoni would not be swayed by tomorrow’s results for sure, as it is just another match for them, or as the famous Phil Collins song goes – just another day in paradise. But it indeed is an opportune time to put Dhoni’s achievements in perspective:

1. Dhoni’s achievements in world cricket gave aspirations to small time India to actualize the dream that in most of the cases was given a silent burial owing to the geographical disadvantages that they possess and allow them to break free from the shackles.

Photo: www.espncricinfo.com

2. The exemplary qualities of leadership that he has imbibed and nurtured would become subject matter of case studies after he walks into the sunset.

He has pushed himself into the background and allowed his teammates to bask in the glory of achievements. A case in point is the World Cup Victory in 2011.

3. His uncanny ability to recognize talent, build it into a team and have immense faith in his team mates has been another mark of leadership that Dhoni has displayed throughout his tenure as captain.

And when the captain backs his teammates they also come around and put in the performance which is mandated from them, the century of Rohit Sharma in the quarter finals being the latest such example.

4. His exceptional knack to fox the opponents through his surprise moves.

Starting from the times when he bowled Joginder Singh in that penultimate over to win the ICC World Cup against Pakistan, to promoting himself up the order before Yuvraj Singh in the finals of the ICC World Cup 2011 and clinching the match for India.

5. Not be awed by reputation but select the team based on the player’s performance and his role in the scheme of things.

Were it somebody else, a Virender Sahwag or a Gautam Gambhir or for that matter a Harbhajan Singh may still have been in the playing squad. But Dhoni discerned that they were past their prime so he replaced them with a new set of lieutenants and welded them together in such a way that Team India has become the most talked team in the World Cup.

6. Never forget your roots and always return after the show is over.

Had he aspired and desired, he could have been a celebrity resident of any metropolitan city of the country. But he continues to seek sustenance from his roots, and as soon as a tournament is over, he returns to his base in Ranchi and continues to be there till the time the next call of duty beckons.

This could perhaps be the last time that cricket fans may be seeing Dhoni play in a global arena. With such a dedicated fan following and the blessings of the country with him, Dhoni will continue to be one of the greatest living legends that India has produced in recent times, be it a positive or a negative result tomorrow.

– Nalin Rai

All pics unless mentioned courtesy: MS Dhoni Facebook Page

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Meet the sporty girls of Odisha and their untapped talent. From international players to home ground winners, these girls are true hockey stars. Here is all you need to know about the champs of tomorrow.

Jerina Tirkey, Dipika Tappo, Asha Kerketa and Anita Kerketa are among several girls from the villages of Sounamara, Tileikani and Lulkidihi in Odisha’s Sundargarh district, who share a dream – they all want to play hockey professionally and represent India internationally just like Dillip Tirkey, Lazarus Barla, Subhadra Pradhan, Jyoti Sunita Kullu and Binita Tappo have done in the past. All these national stars belong to this region, which is informally known as the hockey district of the state.

Every morning, it is common to see teenage girls and boys troop out of their homes with a heavy bag on their back, a stick in their hand and a spring in their step. They are all heading to the local government school where, besides attending class, they get an opportunity to do their favourite activity of the day – play a competitive game of hockey.

Chulu Barla, a former sarpanch of Sounamara, who loves playing the game himself, points out, “Today, Sundargarh is famous nationally and internationally, as it has produced some great hockey talent. You name any player from Odisha and s/he can trace their roots back to this region. In the rural areas particularly, everyone is at home on the hockey field. What I love about the game is the fact that we can all play it freestyle and it’s thoroughly enjoyable.”

But how did Sundergarh, a predominantly tribal district in western Odisha, which shares its borders with Chhattisgarh, become such a hotspot for hockey talent?

In villages across Sundergarh district teenaged girls who are now proficient in freestyle hockey and cherish the dream of making it big in the professional arena and represent India internationally. (Credit: Rakhi Ghosh\WFS)

“Though no one really knows when we started playing the game in these parts, our elders have told us that they picked it up from the Christian missionaries who had come to our villages several generations back,” shares Chulu, adding, “This was chiefly a recreational game earlier and we used to play with unusual equipment, too. The stick used to be fashioned out of a piece of bamboo gathered from the nearby forest and we would collect plastic items and melt them to make a ball. Nowadays, everything is more organised and parents are even willing to save up to buy proper, standard equipment. Both sons and daughters are encouraged to play and get glory for the community.”

Traditionally, the non-cultivating months from October to December make up the playing ‘season’, which is when tournaments are held regularly and hundreds of village teams take part enthusiastically. “The biggest event is the Khasi Cup under which a series of games are held and the winning team is rewarded with a goat, which is used to prepare the victory feast that is shared by everyone. The Khasi Cup doesn’t have any set rules of play and each team can have anywhere between 12 to 15 players. The idea is to have fun,” elaborates Chulu.

Of course, from this un-coached, freestyle way of playing have emerged several top stars of the game. In fact, talent scouts from both the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility at Sundergarh district headquarters and the Panposh District Sports Hostel see these villages as the training grounds for the legends of the future.

Dilip Tirkey, former Indian hockey captain, iconic defender and presently a Rajya Sabha MP from Sundergarh, is a hero for all budding players. In 1989, when SAI coaches had picked him from a group of hopefuls, no one had imagined that this boy from Sounamara would make history.

“When Dillip’s first international match was shown on television we had only two sets in our village. The telecast timing was an unearthly 3 am but still almost everyone in the village had stayed up and watched the game. When the team won we were cheering the loudest,” recalls Fransis Lakra, Tirkey’s childhood friend.

Like Tirkey, Subhadra Pradhan, who plays for the women’s team, is another local hockey icon, idolised by girls and boys alike. Her father, Shyamsunder Pradhan, recalls the day she was selected, “Every year, coaches from the district headquarters come to our village and organise matches to select upcoming players. My daughter was in Class Five when her talent on the field was noticed. As her father I feel proud when she dons the national team’s jersey these days.”

Asha Kerketa, a Class Six student, fervently dreams of joining the SAI Sports Hostel that has been home to many legendary players from the state. (Credit: Rakhi Ghosh\WFS)

According to Father Isidore Kindo of Jagatmata Church in Sounamara, tribals do not really believe in gender discrimination. “Most parents do not see their daughters as any less talented than their sons. So the support that girls receive is equal. And even when it comes to coaching opportunities or selection matches for a place in the state or national team, the elders root for both sexes,” he says.

After all, both girls and boys are making India proud. Says Selvesta Minz, a former hockey player, “We have a long line of female players like Subhadra Pradhan, Jyoti Sunita Kullu and Binita Tappo to look up to. Apart from these, there are younger players such as Anjana Dhurwa, Basanti Lakra and Rinakanti Ekka, who have made a mark in the national team. Currently, there are several avenues for girls to show off their aptitude for the game.”

Asha Kerketa, who is studying in Class Six, is confident that she has a bright future in hockey. She fervently dreams of gaining admission into the SAI Sports Hostel, where legends are nurtured. “On a personal level, I am prepared to work hard and sweat it out on the field to practice and become good enough to play for the state and even the country,” remarks the youngster. However, she feels that they do need better equipment and access to a suitable playing surface. “If we are provided with proper shoes, dresses and other accessories, as well as an Astroturf ground at the block level, then our performance will definitely get a boost. At the village level, even now everyone plays hockey on grounds that are not adequately maintained, which is a necessity to do well,” she adds.

On his part, Tirkey is doing his bit to give back to his people. In 2013, he organised the Gramin Olympiad Hockey Tournament in the district where a whopping 800 teams took part.

Photo Source: www.indiatvnews.com

“The idea of organizing a village level tournament was to give the budding talent a platform to compete, boost their confidence and get an understanding of the rules and regulations of hockey so that in the future they can easily get adapted into the formal style,” he explains.

In addition to this, Tirkey has plans to provide sports equipment and an Astroturf ground at the village level itself to give more children a jumpstart into the big league. “We are in talks with different business houses to encourage them to generously extend their helping hand for the promotion of hockey in this belt so that our children can get good quality training from the national level coaches,” he says.

If things go as planned, there’s nothing to stop girls like Asha, Jerina, Deepika and others from ruling the Astroturf in the times to come.

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Did you know that India has its very own Ice Hockey team? And that they are going to participate in an international championship purely on funds raised through their crowd-funding campaign?? Here’s how it happened!

Not many of us know that India has there is an Indian Ice Hockey Team. The team, consisting of Army jawans, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and students, and coached pro-bono by Adam Sherlip, has been representing our country worldwide.

Even though the climate of the country is not conducive for the sport, the sheer passion of the team and support from well-wishers has helped the team come this far.

Later this month, The Indian Ice Hockey team is scheduled to participate in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Challenge Cup of Asia Division 1 in Kuwait.

Indian Ice Hockey team

Photo: Twitter

The bare minimum cost of going to the Championship is Rs. 12 lakhs without adding the cost of an international coach and training.

Related Read: How The Dogecoin Community Sent Indian Luge Contender Shiva Keshavan to the Olympics

It all started a week back when the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) launched a Twitter campaign. Within an hour, the #SupportIceHockey hashtag started trending nationwide and saw support pouring in. IHAI was adamant on the team attending the championship and turned to crowd-funding on the BitGiving platform to raise funds.

This infographic visually answers your question: “How the Indian Ice Hockey team raised funds?”

Ishita Anand, CEO, BitGiving says, “The campaign found huge support on Twitter with the hashtag #SupportIceHockey and the campaign link started trending within an hour of the campaign going live. People came together to support a sport which they never even knew existed in India and that is the power of crowdfunding – the democratization of fundraising and people coming together to support a team’s passion. We’re thrilled to see the response – both as a crowdfunding platform and as citizens of the country.”

In less than a week, the team has been able to not only fund its costs through its online campaign but has also got some corporate sponsors on board for the first time in Indian history.

This is not the first time that crowd funding has been tried in India. Although in a relatively nascent stage, it did manage to send Indian luger Shiva Keshavan to the 2014 Winter Olympics at Sochi. Keshavan was the first Indian sportsperson to try his hand at crowdfunding and his success has inspired many more to take this route. With various platforms like BitGiving.com, Milaap.org, Ketto.org and Wishberry.in coming forward to support these campaigns, besides the omnipresent social media, the players now have no dearth of methods for reaching out to potential supporters.

Among the main supporters for the Indian Ice Hockey team is Anand Mahindra, Chairman and Managing Director of the Mahindra Group who even tweeted about supporting the team. Also, IHAI has been approached by the Gautam Gambhir Foundation and has landed a sponsorship deal with Micromax India, who have agreed to sponsor the team’s jersey.

Here is the sequence of tweets that led to Anand Mahindra coming on board:

The funds collected so far will be utilised for the expenses to participate in the Championship Cup of Asia in Kuwait. Additional funds collected over and above the targeted figure of 3,50,000/- would be used for the development of the sport in India.

Visit the crowdfunding campaign for Indian Ice Hockey team

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Our reader Niharika Jadeja shares why she believes that this is an amazing period for Badminton in India, and her hopes for the future.

The spectacular achievements of Indian Badminton players have delighted the entire country lately. Saina Nehwal recently acquired the World No. 1 Ranking, PV Sindhu won a bronze medal in the Badminton World Championships and Kidambi Srikant beat Lin Dan, the highest ranked Chinese in the men’s singles world ranking list, in the China Open. These successes are certainly marvellous feats, and result in the conclusion that badminton, as a sport, is growing and gaining popularity.

Srikanth playing at China Open

Photo: www.badzine.net

Credit for the increase in the sport’s popularity can be given to the increase in television coverage, which results in a larger number of people being exposed to badminton matches and becoming more aware of the happenings in the latest badminton tournaments.

There was also an increase in the number of Indians playing the sport, who seemed to be inspired by Saina Nehwal winning the first Olympic medal in badminton for India at the London 2012 Olympics.

Saina Nehwal

Photo: www.wikipedia.org

The growth in badminton associations and the financial assistance given by the Government to such associations is also credited for the increasing fame of the sport. Pullela Gopichand is acknowledged for producing India’s finest badminton players – Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth and Parupalli Kashyap – all of whom he trained at the Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad.

Pullela Gopichand

Saina Nehwal has been the main representative of badminton in India for around seven years now. Her attaining the status of becoming the ‘World’s Number 1 player’ led to much rejoicing and, I think, marks the beginning of a new and exciting phase of competitive badminton in India.

Unfortunately, it seems that it is easier to become No. 1 than it is to remain No. 1. Saina lost her World No. 1 title within a week of attaining it, by losing in the semi-final of the Malaysia Open. This just goes to show how extremely competitive this sport is, especially in Asia. Despite losing the ranking, Saina is not disheartened and continues to remain positive. She believes that rankings are merely numbers and are unimportant, and that what really matters is that she has been playing consistently.

H S Prannoy

Photo courtesy: sportsrediscovered.com

More and more Indian sportspersons are becoming better at their game, earning more accolades and gaining quite a fan following. It is a fact that it isn’t just Saina but other greats like Sindhu, Srikanth, Prannoy and Kashyap –  players of international repute – who are also doing extremely well in the sport, that has led to this period being referred to as the “Golden Age of Badminton in India.”

Currently, we have five outstanding players who represent India, and are in the top twenty world rankings of badminton across both men’s and women’s singles.

PV Sindhu

Photo: www.wikipedia.org

Parupalli Kashyap

Photo:www.wikipedia.org

The current set of Indian players show great promise in the sport of badminton. These five outstanding Indians who have taken India to where it is in the sport today ought to inspire newer badminton stars to come up and take the country to higher levels. They will inspire today and train the new stars of tomorrow, cementing India’s place in the competitive world of international badminton.

– Niharika Jadeja

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Akhilesh was once a local ‘Don’ and wanted by the police for 45 cases against him. Today he is a completely different person and teaches football to kids living in slums and red light areas. An inspiring story of how one man left his dark past behind and started a new life.

Akhilesh was just an eight year old child when he was trapped into ill habits like smoking and gambling. His father was working as a peon in the government hospital at Nagpur, Maharashtra, and his mother was a housewife. With two elder sisters, Akhilesh was leading a fairly difficult life in the slums of Ajani in Nagpur.

While going to school he saw some older boys living in the same slum passing their time just sitting, smoking, drinking and gambling.

Once a Don, Akhilesh is now an inspirational figure.

He often wondered how these boys managed to get money to enjoy all this. His curiosity led him to become friends with them. He stopped going to school after 6th standard and joined this group of notorious boys. Slowly, he realized that these boys indulged in robbery and various other socially ill activities. He saw them getting easy money and enjoying it. And on the other side, he saw his father working day and night and still failing to make ends meet.
Like any other teenager, Akhilesh was also attracted towards the easy money way. He started working for real estate kings and politicians in Nagpur to help them threaten people and sometimes even hurt them.

Smoking, alcohol and gambling were his life now. Slowly he made his place in the hit list of Nagpur police.

Akhilesh has found a new passion in football.

“Mr. Vijay Barse looked like a policeman to us, and so, when he called me and my friends who were smoking and gambling across the road, we were skeptical about going to him,” says Akhilesh Paul.

But when Akhilesh asked Mr. Barse why had he called them, he was asked in return if they would like to play with the ball that he was playing with? Akhilesh and his friends were surprised and asked Mr. Barse whether he will pay them for this. And Mr. Barse nodded in reply, saying that he will give Rs.5 to each of them to play. The boys first made fun of him and then agreed to play as Rs. 5 just for playing was not a bad deal at all.

This became a routine for these boys for the next fifteen days, but on the sixteenth day, Mr. Barse refused to give them the ball saying that now he does not have money to pay them. The boys who were addicted to football by now were keen to get the ball even without the money.

“We realized that in those fifteen days, we were away from our bad habits and were getting used to a new habit, which was football. We started making ball from old clothes and paper and playing with it. But we really craved for the real football.”

Read About Slum Soccer – Creating Priceless Identities For Young Slum Dwellers

Meanwhile, Akhilesh was being chased by the underworld as well as the police, as he was accused in nearly 45 cases. He hid himself in a graveyard for about 15 to 20 days.

He used to sleep with the beggars, and sometimes snatch their food too, and then again run towards the graveyard.

None of the politicians or the big businessmen, for whom he worked, helped him to come out of this mess. Finally, he realized how he was ruining his own life, and with the help of his family and a friend, he surrendered to the police.

After promising the judge that he will now be a changed man, Akhilesh got bail and started his new life. However, it was not easy for a person who was just 6th pass and was known as a ‘Don’ to get a job.

Akhilesh’s life has inspired many stories.

The court ordered him to leave his area before the sun rises and get back only when it’s dark, so he had to leave his house. Finally, he ended up working in ‘Red Rose’ bar at Mankapur as the bar owner, Mr. Rajesh Jaiswal, thought that only a don can handle the kind of people who visit the bar.

His life was going on track till one fine day, the bar got closed due to some legal issues. According to the order by the court, Akhilesh was not supposed to be found in his area in the day and so he kept sitting in front of the closed bar. One day, he noticed a few children riding a bicycle and giggling, passing by.

When Akhilesh asked them where they were headed, they told him that they go to play football in a nearby ground everyday. This brought back memories of his old days, and he once again started playing with Mr. Barse’s organization, ‘Slum Soccer’.

Akhilesh teaches football for free to the needy kids.

He worked really hard and eventually got a chance to play internationally in the year 2009. However, his past was still following him. He could not get his passport due to his earlier criminal records. But, looking at his dedication, his ex-boss Mr. Jaiswal appealed in the court and helped him get his passport.

“We had a press conference before going to Brazil. Everyone was talking about themselves. And I was really anxious. I found it hard to talk about my past. However, I still managed to tell them the truth. I was prepared to once again be humiliated in the same way that I used to be while asking for a job or while asking for a passport. But, to my surprise, these people were proud of me. I was declared as the captain of the team. This was the first time that I felt good about myself!” recalls Akhilesh.

Akhilesh played so well in Brazil that Mr. Moyes, the then coach of Manchester United, asked him what he would do next.

He has left behind his dark days and is now on a better path.

Akhilesh replied that he would play more and more football and become a great footballer. On hearing this, Mr. Moyes said that he was taking a wrong decision and he should become a coach with the qualities that he has. This turned out to be a turning point in Akhilesh’s life.

He came back to India and did almost all the courses to become a coach. And now it was time for some action.

Akhilesh always wanted to train kids like him who tend to go on a wrong path due to their social circumstances. He now started working with an NGO called ‘Living Hope’ and started coaching the kids in the Red light area of Nagpur.

Akhilesh is now well settled with his wife and a son.

“It was tough to convince these people. The mothers wanted their children to pursue the same business that they were doing. But it was a life lesson for me. I always thought that I had a traumatic past. But once a few of these kids told me that their mothers manage to get different men whenever there is a parents-teacher meet in their school, and when teachers ask about their father, they bluntly say that even they don’t know who the father is. This was heartbreaking. I really wanted them to come out of this depressive life, which became possible by indulging them in sports,” he says.

Akhilesh was also a guest of honor in the well known TV show hosted by Aamir Khan, ‘Satyamev Jayate – Season 3’. His story has been covered by various TV channels and magazines. He continues to coach children from the slums and red light areas for free.

Akhilesh on Satyamev Jayate.

And for a living, he sells shoes at the footpath. The earnings are not really sufficient for him and his family. He and his wife Kavita have big dreams for their only son Emmanuel Paul, who studies in class 4 now. Akhilesh failed to get a job due to lack of education, and so he wants his son to study in the best schools and colleges.

But this shining star of India whose story is an inspiration to all the youngsters of our country, whose story will soon be the script of a Bollywood movie, is striving hard to feed his family. We hope that such talents get the right place and honor in our country.

Akhilesh (right) with Amir Khan.

“I really feel helpless when I am unable to pay my son’s school fees. However, this does not affect my goal of transforming the lives of a lot of others like me. I just want to give one message to each and every one who is trapped in a bad habit – if you are determined then you can change yourself at any age, in any circumstances and at any cost,” says Akhilesh Paul.

Please reach Akhilesh at +91 73850 01828 or you can send an email to bacher.manabi@gmail.com.

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A lesser known sport, Ultimate Frisbee is bringing underprivileged kids out from a dark life and opening doors of opportunities for them. Know more about the amazing U23 team and how you can play a crucial role in supporting them.

M. Ganesan is the son of a construction worker. Living in a slum, Ganesan has lived a life he hated. Poor economic conditions only made it worse for him and he somehow found himself wandering aimlessly.

Just when Ganesan thought his life will forever be the same, a plastic disc came to change it forever.

M. Ganesan

Ganesan is not the only one who has benefited from this lesser known sport. Siva Raman has yet another success story to share. Hailing from Chennai slums, Raman too saw a very poor life. But once he started playing the sport, he got an opportunity to travel and participate in the World Championship which took him to Dubai. His excellent performance in the sport earned him immense popularity and even got him selected in the dream team of top players from the tournament .

The India U23 Ultimate Frisbee team is not only giving these underprivileged kids an opportunity to bring a change in their lives but also marking India’s place in this lesser known sport.

The team is preparing to participate in world championship in London.

For most of us who are not very well versed with the sport, Ultimate Frisbee has been an unrecognized sport played mostly by kids. But this mixed-gender, self-refereed sport is recognized by the International Olympics Committee.

“Many people don’t even know about the sport. But we are gradually progressing. We are getting many kids on board and their interest and passion has increased to a great level,” says Bharath Devanathan from Ultimate Frisbee.

It all started in 2007 when a group of seven people played frisbee every morning on a Chennai beach. A nearby school for underprivileged kids encouraged them to participate in the sport and gradually the kids got so addicted to it that it changed the course of their lives.

Ultimate Frisbee is gradually becoming a popular sport.

In 2013, the Ultimate Frisbee association was officially formed and even got a coach from Australia. Having started with four to five people, the U23 organizing team consists of over 20 members who have helped in selections and tryouts for over 200 kids across India

The Ultimate Frisbee U23 team now has 24 players from seven cities of India who are capable of performing at the international level. The sport is not limited to underprivileged kids only. Kids and youth under the age of 23 belonging to any financial background can be a part of the team.

The USP of the team is that players from different economic circumstances are part of a single team. Not only this, as it is a mixed gender sport, it has given a great opportunity to girls as well.

The sport has given a new direction to the kids.

“This sport is affordable as it requires just a disc. And unlike other teams and sports, anyone can join it irrespective of their financial status and gender,” says Bharath.

Thanks to this sport, there has been a tremendous positive change in the attitude of the kids. They have become more confident, revel in team spirit and have got a new aim in their lives. A few kids now go and teach in local NGOs too.

Though Ultimate Frisbee has come a long way since its inception, but it wasn’t an easy task to get everything in place. As the game is not very popular, it was a challenge to get kids on board and keep them motivated.

“When something as simple as 175 grams of plastic can teach a 15-year-old kid to take what he has learned from the sport and to apply it to his life, you know something pretty amazing is happening,” says the team.

The team needs financial assistance to participate at international level.

In the next couple of years, the Ultimate Frisbee team wants to reach out to more schools and get more students on board. They also plan to organize various workshops and camps for the kids.

The team is preparing for the world championship in London but is struggling to get enough funds to sponsor their trips. As most of the players come from an economically poor background, they are unable to arrange the funds.

Ultimate Frisbee has started a fund raising campaign where they are raising funds for their participation in the games. Click here to help them in their efforts.

To know more about the team and its work, contact them at- u23@indiaultimate.org.

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Having developed a love for boxing at the age of 12, Mrunal has a national level bronze medal under his belt but is still struggling to make ends meet. Know more about this talented boxer and how you can help him.

Mrunal Bhosale from Pune was just 12 when he first entered a boxing ring. Since then, he has not looked back, spending every single minute of his life following his passion. But Bhosale is not among the few fortunate ones who get to achieve their dreams without much hindrance.

“I am not sure for how long I can continue my boxing, and if things don’t change, I may have to abandon the one thing that gives meaning to my life,” he says.

As Bhosale made boxing the ultimate aim of his life, his economically poor circumstances came in the way. Born in a family where his father works at a hardware workshop and mom is a homemaker, taking up a sport full time was not easy.

But he didn’t let his dreams die a young death and joined a local boxing academy where one of his relatives worked.

As he grew older, his passion for the sport became stronger. But life had different plans for him. His journey towards sporting success hit a huge roadblock at the age of 17 when he met with an accident which tied him down to bed.

Mrunal has been boxing since he was 12

“I suffered serious leg and shoulder injuries. I could not practice for two years, and I’m still on the path to recovery. But I didn’t want to give up my dream. So once my wounds healed and I got better, I started playing again,” he recalls.

This setback only made him stronger as he started practicing with twice the passion and determination. Though he was focused, he had other responsibilities to fulfill.

He drove a goods carrier tempo to run his living expenses. He was also completing his Bachelors degree from Pune and, in his spare time, he took up many part time jobs to earn a little extra. From putting up hoardings on streets to selling DTH connections, Bhosale accepted every job that came his way.

“I would practice for four hours a day, go to college, and in the night, paste posters on walls. I spent many sleepless nights pasting posters all night. But it all becomes really exhausting and affects my health,” he says.

Bhosale’s handwork finally paid off when he won the Bronze medal at the National championship in the 64kg category in January this year.

He drives a tempo to earn a basic living.

Though this 28 year old medal holder has proved his calibre in boxing, but he is still waiting for the right opportunity and recognition to come his way. He might be the next boxing sensation, but for many, he is just a tempowallah.

While most players depend on a heavy diet and dietary supplements, Bhosale maintained his health and fitness just by eating regular home cooked food. “I can’t afford to spend on supplements. So I try to get all the nutrients from a home cooked meal,” he says.

The club where he practices does not have a boxing ring and Bhosale practices on the road. To improve his boxing skills and reach an international level, Bhosale needs proper training and facilities. Until he gets enough funds to do so, he is driving a tempo to make his living.

“I practice and work really hard. I feel angry too that in spite of my strong determination, I can’t give more time to boxing due to other commitments. I want to earn a Gold medal and participate in the Olympics,” he says.

He also coaches a few students at the same club where he practices. Heavily inspired from renowned Indian boxer Manoj Kumar, Mrunal wants to become like him some day and make the nation proud of him.

Photo for representation purpose only. Courtesy: wallpaper-kid.com

Bhosale needs funds to travel and participate in various competitions and get access to quality training and facilities. He has started a crowd-funding campaign to raise funds for the same.

A part of the funds will be used to treat the injuries which were caused during the accident. The rest of the amount will be used to improve his diet and get better resources to practice.

Click here to help this budding and talented boxer to follow his passion and not let him give up on his dreams. To know more about his work, contact him at – 09765602537.

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“An event like this was a first for many of us, and it was quite amazing to witness. Have you ever seen girls with visual impairment run a race? All they had to go by was the sound of a clanging bell and the cheers of everyone around them, and each and every one crossed the finish line without mishap and within the lines of their own track.”

- Neha Mitra, Communications Head, Concern India Foundation.

The Sports Day has left a tangible and quite a visible impact on the lives of the participants. While most of them leave with more confidence and a feeling of accomplishment, many schools, parents and families have also shown interest in organising similar events at their localities at regular intervals.

“A number of them even asked us to organize similar events in sports like swimming, trekking, etc.,” says Mitra.

Finalizing the date, keeping the enthusiasm alive and bringing people together, was yet another challenge which the team managed to overcome with astounding help from great active participation on the part of the kids and their will power.

Thanks to their intervention, the sports day has been a successful event till now and witnessed over 185 kids in its last edition.

“We recognize the need to do more for these sections of society; they are all too often marginalized and discriminated against, missing out on opportunities that they deserve due to no fault of theirs.”

- Neha Mitra.

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Meet Zaiba Taj, 21, mentor to several hundred children in and around her Haleem Nagar slum in Mysore and a true agent of change, who has not only managed to bring about a positive transformation in her own life but has been able to motivate others like her to follow in her footsteps.

Related Read - Magic Bus: Sports For Development

Recalls the 50-year-old, who staunchly supports her granddaughter, “The NGO was looking for youngsters who they could train as mentors to talk to children about why they should go to school regularly or the need for maintaining cleanliness and hygiene. I felt Zaiba was capable of doing this job, so I suggested her name.”

Naturally, prospective mentors have to first change themselves in order to be able to do the same for those they reach out to. And that’s precisely what the programme equips them to do.

Elaborates Mrinalini Sanyal, State Head, Magic Bus-Karnataka, “This intensive programme is designed to create change-makers. At the onset, most youth mentors are quiet. But since the programme is activity driven and focuses on team building, in the end a kind of emotional upheaval happens in them. In a sense, we allow them to explore and evaluate themselves as individuals.” Though it is an immensely empowering experience, Sanyal does admit that “families are not comfortable sending young women for a residential training. Magic Bus staff has to explain everything in great detail before they agree”.

Incidentally, Taj trades her ‘hijab’ for a blue T-shirt, trainers and peaked cap while at school, where “pilelo-didi”, as she is known among her mentees, makes it a point to introduce interesting educational games and other sporting activities to make schooling enjoyable.

“The curriculum developed by Magic Bus is fun and every week we do something different during our sessions so that the children are engaged enough to keep coming back to school,” explains Taj.

For Fatima, the Urdu teacher, it’s the expressions of her pupils that are priceless, “You should see the way our children’s expressions change when they see Zaiba; the sheer joy is rewarding. Her powers of persuasion are so incredible that no parent complains when she gets the girls to join in the football matches she organises, despite it being a sport for boys.”

Apart from visiting the HUDCO school, Taj spends time in Haleem Nagar conducting after-school workshops and visiting homes of children who are absent from school. In fact, attendance at HUDCO school has gone up by 20 per cent in the last three years thanks to her relentless efforts.

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Four years later, she is at the helm of the raggle-taggle bunch of youngsters, most of them on their first ever trip abroad, all of them eager to play for the country.

Smells like (Ultimate) spirit

“We started off with 125 youngsters. Usually, the first question when putting your name for the team is whether you can afford it. But for the first time, that was not of consideration. Ability to play and ability to learn, to grow, those were more important. From 125, we had various tryouts before we arrived at our final line-up. After we selected the team proper, we had our first all-India training camp in October; then another in January. Overall, we have had four camps so far with two to go [before flying out], as well as numerous training sessions that take place in each of the cities where the players live.”

-- Abhinav Vinayak Shankar

“When people hear my story, especially the kids from my neighbourhood, they get super excited. The 11- and 12-year-olds are all getting into it now, declaring they will all be flying abroad to play Ultimate very soon!” --- Sumesh

Breaking all barriers

Managing the economics and logistics

For the first time in Indian Ultimate history, there is a huge number of people involved – apart from players, there's a head coach, three assistant coaches, as well as an organising team that has handled everything from collecting sponsorship for the players' cleats to booking tickets to London.

“For a whole week, we lived together, ate together, played together and spent every single minute in each other's company. That helped hugely as at the beginning, we were all hanging out with our own groups, with our own local teams. By the end of the camp, we had all gelled as a team and begun considering each other, truly, as team mates.” --- Zahra

Go India!

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1. Satnam Singh Bhamara was born on 10th December, 1995, in village Ballo Ke, Barnala District, Punjab.

2. When he was a kid, he was nicknamed ‘Chhotu’.

Photo source: Twitter

3. By age 10, he was 5 feet 9 inches tall and by the age of 15 he was 7 feet tall.

Photo source: Twitter

4. He represented India in the FIBA Asia U16 Championships at Malaysia in November 2009 and went on to help his home state, Punjab win the Gold Medal in the National Youth Championships at Trichy (Tamil Nadu).

5. He was recommended by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) to be part of a three-team contingent of Indian youngsters sent to Singapore for the NBA‘s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia camp, which featured 44 junior boys from 19 different countries in Asia and Oceania.

Photo source: www.8asians.com

6. It was Troy Justice, the NBA’s Director of Basketball Operations in India, who spotted Satnam’s talent in India.

Photo source: sportskeeda.com

7. Satnam moved to the United States in September 2010 to train at the IMG Academy in Florida, he was sponsored by the IMG-Reliance program.

Photo source: here

8. Satnam did not receive any scholarship offers to play for an American college.

Photo source: Twitter

9. Satnam has represented the India national basketball team at the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship and the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship.

Photo source: sportskeeda.com

Photo source: http://mavsblog.dallasnews.com/

11. He wears shoes that are size 22.

Photo source: Twitter

Photo source: www.mavs.com

When did you first start playing basketball?

Now at the age of 19, you have enrolled your name in the 2015 NBA Draft. How has your experience been so far?

Who is your favorite basketball player?

How much of a help have IMG Reliance been?

You came to the IMG Academy in 2010. Can you tell us how have you improved since coming here?

What do you think needs to be done to improve basketball in India?

Last year the Indian national basketball team defeated China. Do you think you would get picked for the side and will you be interested to play if you get chosen? How do you think you will perform?

What advice would you like to give to young children playing the sport in India?

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1. As a young lad, Raghu wanted to become a Doctor.

Photo: fhumpires.com

2. He started playing hockey when he was in 6^th standard, though his parents wanted him to become a cricketer.

Photo: stick2hockey.com

3. An engineering graduate from Bengaluru, Raghu Prasad began his career by playing hockey for the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) club.

Photo: www.fih.ch

4. He started umpiring in 1999-2000, officiating in State and National level tournaments in the country.

Photo: www.stick2hockey.com

5. His first big domestic assignment was when he officiated in the 2002 Senior Hockey tournament in New Delhi.

6. In 2003, Raghu got to officiate his first International match at the Hockey Australia Challenge Cup. He was then just 24 years old.

Photo: www.asiahockey.org

7. In 2005, he got to officiate in his first Junior World Cup tournament held in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Photo: YouTube

8. He was included in the FIH World Development Panel on July 16, 2009, making him eligible to officiate in Olympic and World Cup matches.

Photo: www.stick2hockey.com

9. Since becoming an international umpire in 2003, Raghu has officiated at many world level events including the London 2012 Olympic Games and the Rabobank Hockey World Cup, which was held last year in The Hague, the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and four FIH Champions Trophy events.

Photo: http:fhumpires.com

10. He is the 35^th umpire in the history of FIH to receive the Golden Whistle Award and is the third Indian umpire to officiate 100 senior international matches, joining Satinder Kumar and Javed Shaikh who received their Golden Whistles in 2009 and 2014 respectively.

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Some have new hockey sticks and some have ‘remnants’ of hockey sticks, most of the kids are not in proper attire and some don’t even have basic sports shoes. Even the ground is not as per specifications – it is less than half the size of a normal hockey ground.

The initiative to help these children who live below the poverty line and whose parents do menial labour, came from the local elders of the village. They were determined to help as many kids as possible to find a way out of their poverty-stricken lives and climb further up the social ladder.

Glory finally came to the children when they made their mark at the rural games conducted in Ludhiana; they were able to defeat the defending champions belonging to Quilla Raipur village. Their performance put them in the spotlight and they started participating in many events taking place all over rural Punjab.

Impressed by the results obtained by this so-called academy (it still does not have the wherewithal that defines a conventional academy), an NRI has offered his land for development as a proper hockey ground for the children.

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For Sania the victory was more so scintillating as she became the first Indian woman ever to win a Grand Slam tournament.

1. Let your profession do the talking

2. Cricket is not the only sport that can bring you laurels, more so for women

"I hope it inspires a lot of girls and makes them believe they can be Grand Slam champions too."

3. A true champion stands up against strong opposition and does not choke down

Epic ladies' doubles final! So thrilled for @MirzaSania and @mhingis https://t.co/Cise6EPHyy

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) July 11, 2015

4. Behind every successful story, there is sweat & commitment from friends and family

“Fauja Singh, 100-year-old Indian born, British citizen, finished Toronto's waterfront marathon Sunday evening, securing his place in the record books as the oldest person, and the first centenarian, to ever accomplish a run of that distance.” - CBS News on Oct 16, 2011, from Toronto, Canada.

Here is the extraordinarily inspiring story of an Indian who overcame adversity to become the world’s oldest living marathon runner.

Photo source: barusahib.org

Early Years

Fauja and Gian quickly settled into a domestic routine. Fauja worked on the farm and wife Gian Kaur managed the house. Over the years, they had six children, three boys and three girls.

Tragedy becomes a turning point

Leaving India to start a new life

Photo Source

The Making of a Star

Here is an oft-repeated anecdote from the first day of training: it is said that Fauja turned up for training in a three-piece suit. Harmander was taken aback and had to chide Fauja that this attire was not exactly suitable for running a marathon.

Photo Source: levonbiss.com

When asked how he managed to run the 26-mile marathon, Fauja replied: "The first 20 miles are not difficult. As for the last six miles, I run while talking to God.”

Blossoming into a marathoner

Fauja Singh would eventually become the oldest marathon runner, having participated in eight marathon races from 2000 to 2011.

Photo Source

When asked about the secret of his running prowess and his longevity, Singh has said there is no secret formula: “My diet is simple -- phulka, dal, green vegetables, yoghurt and milk. I take lots of water and tea with ginger. I go to bed early, taking the name of my rabba (God) as I don’t want all those negative thoughts crossing my mind.”

Photo Source: levonbiss.com

The High Point in his Running Career

The icing on the cake, however, was to come on 16th of October, 2011, when Fauja Singh became the first centenarian to complete a marathon, the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, his time 8 hours 11 minutes 6 seconds.

Photo Source

Other awards, accolades and endorsements

Photo Source

Photo Source

Fauja Singh has carried the Olympic torch on two occasions - at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.

Now, at 104…

Photo Source

Most of Singh’s marathons were charity fundraisers, in line with his Sikh beliefs. “There are two noble things in life: one to do charity and other to look after your body,” Fauja is quoted to have said.

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1. Born in Pune on 24th July 1985, Pankaj spent the first five years of his life in Kuwait. His family then shifted to Bengaluru.

2. Pankaj took his first step towards snooker and billiards at the age of 10.

3. He won his first championship in 1997, at the age of 12. It was the Karnataka State Junior Snooker Championship.

4. Advani made his international competitive debut at the age of 17, when he participated in the Asian Billiards Championship that was held in Bengaluru in 2002.

5. In 2003, at the age of 18, he won the first of his many world championships - the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Snooker Championship.

6. Advani is the only person in the history of the game to have won both the billiards and snooker IBSF World Titles as well as the World Professional Billiards Championship.

7. He received Arjuna Award in 2004, and became the youngest sportsperson to receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2006. This was followed by the Padma Shri in 2009, and many other awards and honours.

8. In English billiards, he held the World, Asian, and Indian National Championship titles simultaneously, in three different years: 2008, 2009 and 2012.

9. He is the only person to have won all five national, regional, and world billiards tournaments in a single season. Advani is also India’s first world champion in 6-Red Snooker.

10. Between 2012 and 2014, Advani turned professional and participated in the world professional snooker circuit. But he gave up the professional circuit in 2014 to concentrate on billiards.

11. He has also walked the ramp as showstopper for top designers like Wendell Rodricks, Babita Malkani and Manoviraj Khosla.

12. Extraordinarily talented and naturally gifted, Advani was coached by the legendary Karnataka cueist and former national Snooker champion, Mr. Arvind Savur, who has been his friend, philosopher and guide.

All Photo Credits unless otherwise mentioned: Facebook

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1. This year, India has sent 242 athletes, 62 coaches, 6 heads of delegations and 24 officials and assistant staff to the games.

Source: Facebook

2. The athletes are participating in multiple disciplines including Aquatics, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Bocce, Cycling, Football, Golf, Handball, Powerlifting, Roller Skating, Softball, Table Tennis and Volleyball.

Source: Facebook

3. 13-year-old Yash Singh bagged the first medal for India this year, at the Special Olympics World Games.

Source: Facebook

4. 14-year-old Ranveer Saini became the first Indian golfer to play in the Special Olympics World Games this year.

Source: Facebook

5. Special Olympics Bharat is a National Sports Federation, accredited by Special Olympics International, to conduct Special Olympics programs in India.

Source: Facebook

6. In the last Special Olympics World Winter Games at Pyeong Chang, South Korea, India won 46 medals.

Source: Facebook

7. A short film highlighting India's participation in Special Olympics was selected for screening at opening ceremony.

8. 13 of these Indian athletes, 7 girls and 6 boys, are from rural parts of the country.

Source: rdtfvf.org

9. 10-year-old A. Devi from Madurai is the youngest in the delegation this year.

Source: Facebook

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