The statements "you are a girl, this is a boys' sport"; "you're a girl, this sport is dangerous for you"; "you're a girl, taking part in a sport like this shames your family" might seem like translations of dialogues from the movie Dangal but were actually experienced by this 20 year old student Saara Qureshi.
Born to a middle class family from Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, Saara was always good at sports and at the age of 12, her school coach advised her to stick to one sport and that's how she chose boxing. She was in the news recently for being selected to represent India in the upcoming World Chess Boxing Championship; in the heavyweight category.
Chess Boxing is a unique that combines Chess and Boxing, wherein the boxers take part in alternating rounds of Chess and Boxing. "Though I am a boxer primarily, I like the mental challenge that chess gives me and that is the reason I am also into this sport," explains Saara, who has won several medals in various levels since 2009. The road so far has been rough for her, as her family was against it. "I am from a Muslim family and in our society in Gadchiroli, girls taking up sports is heavily looked down upon and it was very difficult for me in my initial stages. My father was dead against me taking up the sport," shares Saara, whose coach slowly convinced her father to let her pursue the sport.
Born to a middle class family from Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, Saara was always good at sports and at the age of 12, her school coach advised her to stick to one sport and that's how she chose boxing. She was in the news recently for being selected to represent India in the upcoming World Chess Boxing Championship; in the heavyweight category.
Chess Boxing is a unique that combines Chess and Boxing, wherein the boxers take part in alternating rounds of Chess and Boxing. "Though I am a boxer primarily, I like the mental challenge that chess gives me and that is the reason I am also into this sport," explains Saara, who has won several medals in various levels since 2009. The road so far has been rough for her, as her family was against it. "I am from a Muslim family and in our society in Gadchiroli, girls taking up sports is heavily looked down upon and it was very difficult for me in my initial stages. My father was dead against me taking up the sport," shares Saara, whose coach slowly convinced her father to let her pursue the sport.
"Even after I started winning medals, there was still a lot of pressure from everyone and to get away from the restrictions and to be able to pursue my sport with all my concentration, I came to Hyderabad and I joined in AV College here and since then, I have been able to practice freely," says the 5'9 tall girl who practices for over eight hours every day. After she came to Hyderabad, things became tough for her financially as her father could not afford to pay for all of her coaching, fitness and nutritional needs, as she explains "My father found it very difficult to afford it all but luckily enough, my friends have been helping me out financially and right now I am on the look out for a sponsor."
When asked who her inspiration is, the reply is instantaneous and she says "It is my coach, Durga Prasad sir. He is the one who keeps inspiring me and motivating me." But she also says her father is her motivation, in the sense that though he had his inhibitions initially, he trusted her and had faith in her and she believes that is what every father should do, "Parents should trust their children and believe in them rather than the society. Especially parents of girls; they should trust their girls and give them the freedom to pursue anything they want to," she says, before adding "Girls, in turn, should not be scared of anything and should never be scared of stepping into something that is traditionally considered to be a male arena, like my own sport."
We wish her the best and hope to see her as an Olympian boxer!
Comments
Post a Comment