Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveShafali Verma: The captain who led India’s victory in the Under-19 Women’s Cricket World Cup 

Shafali Verma: The captain who led India’s victory in the Under-19 Women’s Cricket World Cup 

Compiled by: Amrita Priya

(February 8, 2023) “India, this is for you,” tweeted the overjoyed captain Shafali Verma after lifting the ICC Under-19 Women’s Cricket World Cup on January 29, 2023. It was a landmark day in the history of women’s cricket in India, and Shafali was teary-eyed.

With matches in the Twenty20 cricket format, the tournament organised by the International Cricket Council was the first in the women’s category, even though the Under-19 World Cup in the men’s category is being played since 1988.

Shafali Verma

Under Shafali’s leadership, the Indian team defeated England by seven wickets in the exciting finals held at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom in South Africa. India emerged a winner amongst sixteen teams that competed in the tournament. Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar tweeted, “the win would inspire a whole generation to take up sports”.

Not unlike other cricketers it was Tendulkar who had inspired Shafali Verma, the Haryana girl from small town Rohtak, to take up the sport.

Global Indian  takes a look at the extraordinary journey of this brilliant, young player who is basking in the glory of bringing the maiden Under-19 Women’s Cricket World Cup trophy home.

Rohtak girl’s foray in the world of cricket

She was quite young when she first stepped on a cricket pitch. Disguised as her brother, who was sick, Shafali Verma played at the under-12 national school championship and ended up winning the Player of the Match award. A first-class cricketer today, this Haryana girl has carved a niche for herself in the world of cricket. The youngest Indian cricketer to play in an international match, Shafali was just 15 when she was selected to play at the Women’s 20 International Series.

Congratulations to the Indian Team for a special win at the @ICC #U19T20WorldCup. They have played excellent cricket and their success will inspire several upcoming cricketers. Best wishes to the team for their future endeavours. https://t.co/BBn5M9abHp

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 29, 2023

Interestingly, the teen prodigy became the youngest Indian half-centurion while playing against West Indies during her debut series. Her first international series turned out to be a great one. Scoring 158 in just five matches, she became the player of the series, garnering lots of attention for her fantastic performance.

By 2021, the 2004-born had built a good repertoire – becoming the youngest player to represent India in all three formats of international cricket at the age of 17. Her brilliant performances earned her a place in the Indian team for the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup and subsequently made her the strongest contender to be the captain of the Indian team at the under-19 world cup.

Off the bat

Daughter of a jewellery shop owner, Shafali has been playing cricket since she was just eight years old. The young cricketer was trained by her father, Sanjeev, who once aspired to be a cricketer himself.

Indian Cricketer | Shafali Verma | Global Indian

Shafali Verma in action

A strict mentor, Sanjeev devised a rigorous training schedule for his daughter. However, he would also give her a reward of ₹5 whenever Shafali hit a sixer at the local ground. Recognising that Shafali could make an excellent cricketer, her father later made her join the Ram Narayan Cricket Club, Rohtak.

Crediting her father for her success, Shafali wrote on social media, “I am who I am today because of my father. He has always been the most supportive and friendly dad in the world.”

An eventful journey

The alumna of Mandeep Senior Secondary School, Rohtak has set quite a number of records. In June 2021, she became the youngest player, male or female, to represent India in all three formats of international cricket. In October 2022, she became the youngest cricketer to complete 1000 runs in T20 internationals. She also became the youngest cricketer ever to play in the final of the Women’s World Cup.

Thank you Hon'ble @JayShah Sir for inviting us for a special evening and providing us the precious opportunity to meet with @sachin_rt Sir! It has truly motivated the entire team and has boosted our spirit. Thank you again for all your support & encouragement! @BCCIWomen @BCCI pic.twitter.com/lsGp1TITCp

— Shafali Verma (@TheShafaliVerma) February 2, 2023

Even though she is quite busy, the sportsperson always manages to find time between matches and practice sessions, to connect with her fans through social media.

Like other cricketers, Shafali too idolised one of the greatest cricketers of all times, Sachin Tendulkar. “The reason I took up cricket is because of Sachin sir. My family has just not idolized but worshipped him,” she had once mentioned in a post.

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Published on 08, Feb 2023

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Empowering change: Activist Sanya Sharma’s pursuit of a better world

(November 4, 2023) In 2019, as a part of a college project, Sanya Sharma came across several articles and studies about issues like forced marriages, honour killing, and female genital cutting. After several sleepless nights and researching extensively about these issues, the young activist decided to do something about it. "I wanted to raise awareness– I spoke to my father about starting a global youth-led organisation to do this. He said, 'Be the change you wish to see', she said in an interview, adding, "With his words, I founded 'Scarlet Udaan' and got on board eight other students from across the globe to work towards ending FGC." Established in July 2020, Sanya's international youth organisation strives to promote awareness about female genital mutilation (FGC). With team members from various parts of world - including India, the UK, Indonesia, the US, and Canada - the activist wishes to bring awareness on female genital mutilation and the impact it has on the lives of females belonging to different communities all around the world. "It is estimated by the World Health Organisation that 200 million females around the world have undergone FGM. In the organisation's name, 'Scarlet' stands for the strength of womanhood,

ent communities all around the world. "It is estimated by the World Health Organisation that 200 million females around the world have undergone FGM. In the organisation's name, 'Scarlet' stands for the strength of womanhood, and 'Udaan' is a Hindi word that means 'to soar' or 'to fly'. It symbolises freedom and the limitless possibilities that exist for an individual," said the 21-year-old activist, who recently won the prestigious Diana Award for her humanitarian efforts.

Digital activism

A student of Delhi Public School, Hyderabad, Sanya wasn't just a meticulous student, but she also volunteered for various causes and organisation growing up - including the National Service Scheme and Reap Benefit. After finishing her school education, the young activist got enrolled at Durham University in the United Kingdom to pursue a bachelor's of law. It was here that she first was introduced to the issue of female genital mutilation.

"In my first year at university, I was part of a project that worked on women’s issues," the activist said, "This was the first time I heard about FGC and it was baffling. I had no idea what it was. I started having conversations with friends and family members about this and they had no idea either. Everyone was like ‘What is FGC?’ This just proved to me how inaccessible that information was. FGC is a major global concern. It affects 200 million people. Academia, governments, and international organisations that address the issue do not provide enough nuance, they’re disconnected. They’re also gatekept. They use language that people do not understand, so crucial information gets lost in jargon."

And that’s where Scarlet Udaan stemmed from. While she knew she had to do something about the issue, the activist was still figuring out a way to spread the message. Speeches, meetings, and posters would have only gotten her so far, so she turned to the digital space to talk about the issue. "The digital space is accessible and really expands the possibilities of what creating change could look like. It lets us create a safe space for people having such conversations, ones that may be considered taboo, or that people do not know much about. Our team members are from eight different countries around the world. We were able to come together and work together for a common cause, which might not have been possible offline. We also have regional expertise. This creates very nuanced views of culture and tradition and the complexity of the issues we focus on. The online space has opened up a whole new realm of having access to other organizations and youth activists with similar goals," the activist said.

Miles to go before she sleeps...

Using various social media to promote our cause, including videos and podcasts, the Global Indian has been able to reach out to a broad audience. "We have different tools at our disposal to create change, which allows us to make the information accessible to more people. We have social media posts for a quick introduction to the office, a podcast for a deep dive, detailed Zoom sessions, and live streams for more targeted information. It lets us organise creative ways to make change and have an impact," she said.

The activist plans to take a few of the organisation's activities offline very soon. "As a young person, getting to work with so many other young people and survivors across the world is great. But we’re all also people on the frontlines, both online and offline. Having both brings a community together and we can push for change across the world. Especially during the pandemic, when other channels are closed off," she explained.

Currently pursuing a master's at the Duke University School of Law in the USA, Sanya is on her way to building an organisation that can be a platform for young advocates like her to voice and spread awareness about various issues across the globe. "This will not only allow for different regional and local perspectives to be expressed but create a safe space for people to have conversations about topics that are underreported," the activist expressed.

Follow Sanya Sharma on LinkedIn
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Of notes and highs: Tiara Abraham is mesmerising the world with her beautiful voice

(August 16, 2022) When she first stepped on the stage, to sing at a school competition, she was merely four. A little nervous, the child finished her song to thunderous applause. That motivated Tiara Abraham to pursue a career in singing. Earlier this year, the 16-year-old soprano singer earned a bachelor's degree in vocal performance from the University of California, Davis. [caption id="attachment_20822" align="aligncenter" width="570"] Music major Tiara Abraham graduated UC Davis with many accolades[/caption] The Sacramento-resident, who started training in Western classical music when she was seven, has many feathers in the colourful hat she dons. From scoring 99 percent in the Mensa exam at four to releasing her first album 'Winter Nightingale' at the age of 10, Tiara is a true musical prodigy. Global Indian takes a look at the splendid journey of this budding soprano singer, who is currently studying opera music at the prestigious Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, Bloomington. Vibing to glory A native of Kerala, Tiara's parents - veterinary doctor Dr. Taji Abraham and techie Bijou Abraham - came to the United States of America in the 80s. Their son, Tanishq, was also a child prodigy the Abraham couple realised that their

udding soprano singer, who is currently studying opera music at the prestigious Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, Bloomington.

Vibing to glory

A native of Kerala, Tiara's parents - veterinary doctor Dr. Taji Abraham and techie Bijou Abraham - came to the United States of America in the 80s. Their son, Tanishq, was also a child prodigy the Abraham couple realised that their daughter was inclined towards music and had a natural vibrato when she was just two years old. At four, just like her elder brother, Tiara too took the exam and scored a brilliant 99 percent, to become a member of MENSA, an organisation of high IQ individuals.

[caption id="attachment_20828" align="aligncenter" width="578"] Tiara with her brother Tanishq[/caption]

While everyone in her family comes from a STEM background, Tiara's dream of becoming a soprano singer was nourished by her father. He would drive her to early morning music classes before her school and helped grow her talent for singing. During her interaction with the press, the young singer also mentioned that she was inspired by her grandmother Thankam Mathew, who is the first Indian woman to receive her Ph.D. in veterinary medicine in the mid-1960s.

Tiara released her first album 'Winter Nightingale' at 10, which has her renditions of nine carols and holiday songs in English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, and even Latin. For this, she was invited to be a part of the Steve Harvey Show on NBC, where she gave an enthralling performance. "Well, I enjoy singing in those six different languages; and I enjoy speaking in them, and I like learning new languages,” she said during the show, adding, "So, I have taken nine semesters of Spanish, Italian, French and this semester I am taking German. I think my favourite is Italian because it is so flowy.”

[caption id="attachment_20830" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Tiara Abraham singing during the Premio Internazionale Giuseppe Sciacca Musica Award ceremony in Vatican[/caption]

Homeschooled through most of her early childhood, Tiara was ready to give high school examinations when she was 11. However, due to certain official requirements, she appeared in graduated from high school at the age of 13, and passing all the exams in a single attempt was ready for University.

Enchanting the world

Although at four she was a bit nervous for her first performance, with time Tiara became a very confident singer with a strong stage presence. In 2016, the young singer won her first international singing competition, held at the Carnegie Hall. As a music performance student at UC Davis, the young singer was also a part of the university's chorus.

[caption id="attachment_20831" align="aligncenter" width="585"] The music prodigy receiving the prestigious Global Child Prodigy Award, from Kiran Bedi[/caption]

As a young south Asian, who was learning Western Classical at the university, Tiara started researching other artists like herself. In 2020, the artist wrote and presented a paper on underrepresented artists of colour, such as composer Florence Price and poetess Georgia Douglas Johnson. Inspired by their work, she composed a song for soprano and piano based on a poem by Georgia Douglas Johnson. Relating to many issues that such artists faced, the singer is actively working towards eradicating any discrimination towards people of colours in the musical world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxWj-T--btE&t=408s

While studying at UC Davis, Tiara also became one of the youngest people to join two of the most prestigious academic honour societies — Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. In July, the music prodigy graduated from the university with a perfect 4.0 GPA, summa cum laude. With dreams of performing at the most prestigious opera houses around the world, Tiara joined Jacobs’s School of Music at Indiana University, to hone her vocal range.

Follow Tiara Abraham on LinkedIn and Instagram

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The art of the hustle: How Aamir Qutub became one of Australia’s top young entrepreneurs

(March 28, 2023) Every day, when Aamir Qutub drives to work, he chooses from his fleet of luxury cars to take him to his office in Geelong, where the headquarters of Enterprise Monkey Proprieter Ltd are located. Aamir is the founder and CEO of Enterprise Monkey, which operates out of four countries, and continues to head Angel Next Door, which he founded during the pandemic, to help make life easier for everybody. The entrepreneur and tech investor has come a long, long way from when he boarded a plane for the first time in his life, bound for Australia, where was all set to begin life as a student in Deakin University. Born in Aligarh, UP, Aamir had a middle-class upbringing, and dreamt, even as a child, of owning a business some day. He wanted to study more, he had his sights on Deakin University in Australia, but didn't want to ask his father for money. While his parents weren't poor, the tuition cost at a foreign university was beyond them. With some difficulty, Aamir's father scraped together the fee for his son's first semester. [caption id="attachment_28811" align="aligncenter" width="511"] Aamir Qutub[/caption] Hustle to make it Alone in Geelong, Aamir had

.globalindian.com/youth//wp-content/uploads/2023/03/aamir-banner-cutout.jpg" alt="" width="511" height="511" /> Aamir Qutub[/caption]

Hustle to make it

Alone in Geelong, Aamir had to find ways to fund his study. He applied for dozens of jobs - and got no responses. In the end, he landed a job as a janitor at the airport in Geelong. "In India, a cleaning job is looked down upon," Aamir said in an interview. "In Australia, it's like any other job. When my parents found out about work, they became quite sad. My relatives also started gossiping about me and giving the family a hard time."

Aamir remained unfazed, working the 6 am to 6 pm shift, studying during his breaks. The long hours got in the way of his work and he was forced to quit. He found himself another job and would wake up at 3 am to deliver newspapers. He continued to search for work, finally landing an internship at at IT firm and then at ICT Geelong, where he was promoted quickly and soon worked directly under the general manager. When his boss quit, he was appointed the interim GM and was promoted again, becoming the company's youngest GM. "Within a year, the revenue of the company increased by 30 percent," Aamir said.

Striking out as an entrepreneur

In 2014, the Global Indian registered Enterprise Monkey Proprietor, with an investment of AUD 4,000, which he had managed to save. He hired himself an assistant in India and began working with a team of four. Business grew and Aamir scaled up on hiring, only to find, he dind't have the money to pay them. "We were making money, but I was in debt. I took a loan of around AUD 100,000 from private lenders to maintain the cash flow," he recalled.

Again, he was in a financial quandary. He had left the safety being employed, turning his back on what had promised to be a glowing career, even if it wouldn't one of entrepreneurship. He took that leap and found success, only to find himself back where he started - wondering where they money was coming from. The situation worsened, to the point where Aamir couldn't afford to put fuel in his car. "I had 17 employees, the turnover was big but the profits weren't there."

This was his most troubling time as an entrepreneur. Aamir knew he had to step back and assess the situation. He realised that he had taken on small clients - that move hadn't paid off. He had also fallen into the trap of planning, taking focus off the goal itself. "The business was repositioned on profitability rather than on growth, and voila! I repaid the debt within three months."

Today, the company employs a 100 people and has a turnover of over Rs 12 crore. Enterprise Monkey Proprietor Ltd was also awarded the Australian Smartest Innovation of the Year.

Giving Back

These days, the business runs on "auto-mode," as Aamir puts it, leaving him with room for other pursuits. He set up the Aamir Qutub foundation and continues to work with students in India. This included setting up the first-ever recruitment drive in his alma mater, Aligarh Muslim University, during which 2000 students were placed in 30 companies. He also introduced free WIFI on campus and Smart classrooms, even lobbying national policies for the students.

During the pandemic, Aamir founded "Angel Next Door," an outreach program that mobilised the community, allowing citizens to ask for - and provide - help discreetly. Aamir, who was also named the Australian Young Business Leader of the Year, continues to live in Geelong with his wife, Sarah Niazi, who is a dentist. "My life has always been exploring new possibilities," he said, adding, "I always wanted to be successful, I just wanted to pursue what I loved and I had this belief in myself."

Follow Aamir Qutub on LinkedIn

Shriya Bopanna: From Miss India America to Forbes 30 Under 30

(October 4, 2023) Miss India America 2020, Shriya Bopanna who is also an activist, author, and on-air personality has been named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Austin list of 2023, "I am honestly still shocked and incredibly grateful for making to the list," Shriya told Global Indian. "There is a certain amount of validity I feel in being authenticated and it has been a dream of mine to make it to Forbes 30 Under 30 since I was 16," she added. The multi-talented changemaker who also works as a project manager and business analyst at Accenture in the United States, looks at the Austin list as a stepping stone to eventually making to the entire North American list of Forbes. [caption id="attachment_33374" align="aligncenter" width="473"] Shriya Bopanna[/caption] In the world of pageantry Right from her school days, Shriya Boppana had been passionate about advocacy, and deeply involved in raising awareness and funds for causes like anti-sex trafficking. She would do whatever it took to achieve her goal – show up at community events to hand out flyers, volunteer, do community service, and more. “Over time, these community spaces weren’t big enough for some of the initiatives and in college, I

om her school days, Shriya Boppana had been passionate about advocacy, and deeply involved in raising awareness and funds for causes like anti-sex trafficking. She would do whatever it took to achieve her goal – show up at community events to hand out flyers, volunteer, do community service, and more. “Over time, these community spaces weren’t big enough for some of the initiatives and in college, I stepped on the Miss India DC stage as an ambassador for the Save our Stars Foundation to raise money for an HIV clinic in Nepal,” Shriya says. This turned out to be a great turning point in her life.

Little did she know that she would end up participating in the competition and also winning the first runner-up title. “After that, I had no plans of competing in the nationals of Miss India America 2020 until some friends encouraged me to show up. I won completely accidentally – no training, no planning, no preparation,” says the youngster. “That crown catapulted me and my advocacy into the media limelight overnight and I got featured everywhere from ABC to the Wall Street Journal,” she says.

[caption id="attachment_29357" align="aligncenter" width="451"] Shriya Boppana[/caption]

Opportunity to host her TV show

After her win in the Miss India-America contest, Shriya’s popularity caught the eye of producers at Fox 5 Plus/GTV who offered the youngster her segment on-air, Becoming a Voice with Shriya Boppana.

“My show has hosted popular voices from political candidates such as Deja Foxx of the Kamala Harris Campaign to Maria Thattil, Miss Universe Australia, all the way to Jared Isaacman of SpaceX’s Inspiration4, and reached more than six million households. My efforts in educating the public on gender-based violence got hugely successful,” Shriya says.

After doing a season of the show the youngster stepped down to work for Nickelodeon and AwesomenessTV in talent casting. By that time, Shriya already had more than twelve years of experience in theatre acting under her belt.

“I guess the opportunities that I got after winning the crown were a ripple effect of my win. I had only planned to do two things in life – acting and advocacy,” she says. The unplanned foray into the world of pageantry and subsequent win turned out to be a game-changer, helping her reach her goals more easily both in advocacy and acting.

“I received a lot of love, support, and attention from the media and audiences. I cannot thank everyone enough for consistently believing in me and providing me opportunities to grow,” she adds.

These days, Shriya has a nine-to-five at Accenture, while continuing to film season 2 of her Fox 5 Plus show with GTV. “I have incredible guests lined up for the new season, it's so exciting!" she shares

Acting - a passion

As a schoolgirl, Shriya was deeply interested in theatrical arts, musical and films. She has won awards for her performances in short films like Love is Louder, which was a semi-finalist at the All-American High School Film Festival. Shriya was also cast in a full-length feature film, Water with a Slice of Lemon, which debuted in DC theatres in 2018. In 2020, she starred in the Chinmaya Mission-sponsored short film, ‘Been on Sale’.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBXxhGMDkUk[/embed]

Her interest in performing arts has led to several achievements in the sphere of dancing as well. Shriya has competed nationally for her premiere collegiate Bollywood fusion dance team – Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Sahara, winning multiple trophies for her alma mater. As much as she likes competing, the youngster loves to organise events. She has been the youngest board member of the National Bollywood Dance Championship, Legends in the US. Her academic training in marketing helped her in taking up the role of the Public Relations chair at the non-profit, Desi Dance Network Inc for two years where she raised awareness about South Asian performing arts.

The multifaceted beauty queen

A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Shriya majored in business administration with a double concentration in marketing, and leadership and organisational effectiveness with a minor in psychology.

At the CMU campus, her advocacy was in full swing. She worked for minority, religious, generational, and socioeconomically weaker communities to strive for equality on the campus against battles supporting sexual assault victims, LGBTQ+ members, immigrants, international students, and ‘everyone in-between’.

[caption id="attachment_29356" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Shriya at one of the Carnegie Mellon University's functions[/caption]

Always a good student and multi-tasker, Shriya has represented CMU as the vice president of communications in their chapter of the American Marketing Association and volunteered as the vice president of marketing for the Carnegie Mellon Business Association, and vice president of internal affairs for CMU Women in Business.

“I am in the midst of applying for an MBA programme with the aim to elevate my social impact organisation - ‘Becoming A Voice’ into an official non-profit,” she shares.

Continually striving to achieve new milestones, Shriya is preparing to apply for the role of the 13th official US youth over server to the UN. “With all my work with the UN Foundation over the years, I aim to contribute in the national policymaking on child rights and sexual safety if appointed,” she remarks.

Winning along the way

The youngster loves participating in contests. In 2018 she won the Deloitte Start-Up Case competition bagging the third position. She was the only CMU freshman chosen to compete that year. Along with her team members, Shriya took her BusyBus business idea into the world of real-time technology and was even nominated for Forbes 30-under-30 in the consumer technology category.

The multifaceted beauty queen also dabbles in the freelance design and marketing world when time permits. “I kick-started my content creation career after winning Miss India America and have partnered with many incredible brands like Amazon Prime, Bumble, Handshake, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Adobe, Tangle Teezer, Mugler, and Tommy Hilfiger to name a few,” she says.

[caption id="attachment_33382" align="aligncenter" width="683"] Shriya Bopanna[/caption]

Love for India

Shriya moved to the US with her parents when she was just five and a half years old, but her tie with India is strong. “I visit India at least once a year for a month at a time, minimum. It’s important for me to stay in touch with my extended family,” she says. “I was raised in Indian culture for a good portion of my developmental years and find joy in mixing both the American and Indian identities as much as possible. Whether it’s the clothes, the media, the food, or the religion, I partake in all aspects of my daily life to keep my roots strong and home-grown,” the youngster shares.

Significant collaborations and initiatives

In 2021 Shriya Boppana joined the Obama Foundation and Michelle Obama’s Girls Opportunity Alliance partnership.
As STF Global Youth Ambassador advocating for girls’ rights, she teamed up with famous actress, Brooke Shields to raise awareness for sexual health education of girls for the #GirlsGetLoud campaign.
She has partnered with the popular beauty brand, Bobbi Brown, for their ‘Pretty Powerful’ campaign.
Shriya holds sexual assault clinics in partnership with Bachpan Save the Innocence in India. In their partnership, they have sensitized above 6000 individuals at more than 320 orphanages, schools, slums, and colleges with over 10 different programs like safe and unsafe touch, consent and puberty, digital safety, cybercrime, sexual abuse, and trafficking.
The Indian American youngster conducted light-hearted discussions about mental health and relationships, and self-health as a radio jockey on Radio Zindagi, reaching more than one million listeners in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Indo-Caribbean community.

Follow Shriya Boppana on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and her website

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Sudipti Hajela: Perfect passage to dressage gold at Asian Games 2023

(October 22, 2023) If there is anything that motivates Sudipti Hajela to perform, it’s the sight of the tricolour. So, when she was saddled up and ready to prove her mettle at the Asian Games 2023 — she had one good look at the Indian flag, fluttering high in the arena. It boosted her confidence and led her gallop to glory. “Something magical happens once I see our flag. It helps me keep my focus and motivates me into giving my best. Playing for India is the biggest motivation,” smiles Sudipti Hajela, part of the four-member Indian Dressage team that won the historic gold medal for India, speaking to Global Indian. The accomplished equestrienne, who trained hard for the Asian Games for last two years, says she woke up everyday with only one goal in mind — to put up a good show for India and clinch gold. “The four of us are very experienced riders and we have been training ourselves for a long time now. We were quite certain of a podium finish. I'm really grateful that we could all share this great historic win together,” says the 21-year-old, who is the youngest among the four. She accumulated

says the 21-year-old, who is the youngest among the four. She accumulated 66.706 points. Her entire family was present at the venue to cheer for her.

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A post shared by Sudipti Hajela (@sudiptihajeladressage_2002)

Rigorous training for Asian Games

India’s participation in Equestrian sport began in 1982, with the Asian Games in New Delhi. Sudipti has been training overseas for the last 10 years including London, Portugal and Thailand as well. “For the last two years, I have been training in Fontainebleau, a town in France and an hour away from Paris,” informs the equestrienne. One of the biggest advantages of training in Europe is that equestrians can compete every single weekend at a National or International level, which is essential for improving their skills.

Sudipti was coached by Camillee Judet Cheret, who has competed in the Olympics for France. As a sport, it’s a thriving industry In Europe, where there is interdependence and facilitation between the horse, trainer, infrastructure and environment.

Living alone, she says, is challenging. “Right from the time I wake up, plan my horse riding sessions, fitness while attending house hold chores, managing everything on my own gets difficult,” she says but is quick to add that it even taught her a lot.

A life of discipline

Sudipti had completely dedicated herself to her training. “I was always away and always training. I missed all the festivals and other events as I could not come home due to my training. Years have passed like that. But all these sacrifices yielded results.” At the crack of dawn, the first thing Sudipti tunes into is “Hanuman Chalisa.” “I listen to it really loud and it fills me with positive energy. It’s a must for me everyday,” she says.

[caption id="attachment_33716" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Sudipti with Chinski[/caption]

Sudipti then sits down to do an in-depth analysis of her everyday performance and the ways to improve further. Post that, it’s time for some workouts with her trainer and then she is at stables.

Born in Indore in May, 2002, Sudipti started her equestrian journey early at age six year. Back then, it used to be a summer hobby. “I used to pester my father to take me to Indore’s famous Chhappan Dukaan where I would ride horses,” she recalls, of her initial days of horse riding. Her father Mukesh Hajela is a businessman.

First ride to victory

She won her first national medal in 2013, when she was 10. Indian cricket great Sourav Ganguly presented her with the bronze medal. There was no looking back since as she started taking her training even more seriously.

“Ever since, I have been training abroad, has the best coaches and great exposure,” says Sudipti who completed her schooling from Daly College, Indore. She says she was lucky to have gotten into Daly college, which supported her in every aspect, which helped her reach the level where she is today.

Sudipti credits her horse Chinski for the victory. “We bond so well and that is the key in our partnership. I have been riding Chinski for last two years now,” informs Sudipti who bought the 16-year-old for the sole purpose of competing in the Asian games.

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A post shared by Sudipti Hajela (@sudiptihajeladressage_2002)

Chinski’s story

It’s one of the best horses I have had,” she says of her horse. “My horse is everything to me. I love him with all my heart,” she says. After all, selective and specific breeding of quality horses is a niche aspect of the sport

She not only takes the best care of the stallion but feeds her and even gives him regular treats. “He loves carrots, apples and bananas. Both of us understand each other well,” says Sudipti, whose first ever CDI (Concours de Dressage) event was in Portugal a few years ago. This International Dressage event is recognised by the world governing body of equestrian sports.

Talking about her team, Sudipti says they are close friends as well. The four of us have really come together as a team. I could not have imagined having any better team mates than these three,” says Sudipti, who completed her schooling from Daly College, Indore.

[caption id="attachment_33717" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Sudipti Hajela and Chinski at the Asian Games 2023[/caption]

So what’s next ?

“I think the next goal for me is very clear, not to stop because post Asian games, sky is the limit,” smiles the equestrienne who has already begun preparing for the Paris Olympics 2024.

“Every athlete in the world have set their sights on Paris Olympics. I am excited for what’s coming in the near future. My training continues,” says the determined youngster, who is looking forward to make her presence felt at other national and international events as well.

Family support

Sudipti says her family has been the biggest support throughout. “My family and friends have supported me through thick and thin. In fact, two of my best friends even stayed with me abroad and were a constant support.”

Follow Sudipti on Instagram.