Global Indianstory Indian archerTake a bow: India’s young sports stars are breaking records across the globe

Take a bow: India’s young sports stars are breaking records across the globe

Written by: Darshana Ramdev

(April 12, 2022) The youngest para-swimmer to swim the Palk Strait is also the fastest. She was diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum and asked to try water sports as a form of therapy. With unparalleled courage and grit, Jiya Rai is now a world record holder. There’s also Neeraj Chauhan, the teenage archer who will make his world cup debut this year. During the pandemic, Neeraj, his brother and father, sold vegetables on a pushcart in their hometown, Meerut, to make ends meet. People who spotted the two young lads in their sports jerseys posted videos online… and the rest was history. India’s young sports stars have battled seemingly insurmountable odds, along with a lack of infrastructure and financial support, to create history, not just in the country but across the world. These are stories not just of sporting achievement and skill but of courage, determination and hope.

Jiya Rai, para swimmer

Jiya Rai

She clocked 28.5 kilometres in 13 hours. Thirteen-year-old para swimmer Jiya Rai is not just the youngest to swim across the Palk Strait, she is also the fastest. On March 221, 2022, Jiya, who is on the autistic spectrum, set off from Sri Lanka’s Thalamannar. Thirteen hours later, she arrived at Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu, where a large gathering, led by director-general of Police, C. Sylendra Babu, awaited her.

Completely sunburned and exhausted, but elated, Jiya posed with the Indian tricolour, flanked by two Navy officers holding up a banner bearing a message of congratulations from the Indian Navy. Jiya is the daughter of master chief of arms of INS Kunjali and beat the previous record holder by a whopping 52 minutes.

Jiya was diagnosed with autism when she was a little over two years old. It was her doctor who suggested water sports as a form of therapy. She took to it, as the cliche goes, like a fish to water.

Tamil Nadu | 13-year-old autistic girl, Jiya Rai swam from Sri Lanka’s Thalaimannar to Arichalmunai’s Dhanushkodi in 13 hours on Sunday

She was received by a large gathering at the Indian shore led by DGP C Sylendra Babu pic.twitter.com/G38wbPwMaB

— ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2022

The Lankan Navy provided the search and rescue cover to Jiya as she swam through Lankan waters, while the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard awaited the young star as she swam into Indian waters. She is also the youngest (and first autistic) girl to swim from Worli sea link to Gateway of India, a distance of 36 kilometres, in February 2021. In 2022, she received the Bal Puraskar award and is the world record holder open water swimming. Jiya hopes to be the first and youngest para swimmer in the world to swim the seven seas.

Lakshya Sen, badminton champ

Lakshya Sen was 16-years-old when he became a sensation in the badminton scene, playing his first international championship and reaching the quarterfinals of the Vietnam and Belgian Opens. In 2019, at the age of 18, he bagged four major international titles – the Belgian, Dutch, Saarlox and Scottish Opens. Two years later, he proved himself to be dynamite on the court once more, playing nine tournaments in a row and bagging the bronze at the World Championship in December. His game has only grown stronger since.

In 2022, he won the India Open, reached the finals of the German Open and was runner-up at the All-England Badminton Championship. The latter brought him widespread recognition and praise. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in congratulating the young star, tweeting, “Proud of you, Lakshya Sen! You’ve shown remarkable grit and tenacity…,” Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi said he was “second to none,” and Mahindra Group chairperson Anand Mahindra called him a “prince who will be crowned sooner or later.”

Proud of you @lakshya_sen! You’ve shown remarkable grit and tenacity. You put up a spirited fight. Best wishes for your future endeavours. I am confident you will keep scaling new heights of success.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 20, 2022

He’s currently at the Korea Open Super 500 Badminton Tournament in Suncheon, South Korean. He has already surpassed local favourite Choi Ji Hoon, defeating him in just over an hour in the opening round match.

Follow Lakshya on Twitter and Instagram

Ridhi Phor, archer

Ridhi’s coaching began when she was eight-years-old and her father was her first teacher. Today, at age 16, she has a separate room in her house just for her trophies and medals. And every success is celebrated by her doting family.

Ridhi Phor

Calling archery a lonely sport, as it is just the individual out there with their thoughts, Ridhi has worked diligently on her focus – she admits to speaking to herself a lot, and honing a positive mindset.

She was 14 when she participated in her first international competition, which was stage two of the Asia Cup in Manila in 2018. She brought home the bronze as a member of the women’s recurve and mixed recurve team. In the individual category, she finished seventh out of 30 contestants, the top Indian archer in her category. She bagged a silver at the Asia Cup in Taipei.

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Neeraj Chauhan, archer

In March 2022, archer Neeraj Chauhan finished in the top three at the Asian Games selection trials in Sonepat. Now a part of the national squad, he is all set for his world cup debut this month, and is part of the team heading to the Hangzhou Games in September. And the 19-year-old archer’s story is nothing short of remarkable.

Neeraj Chauhan

Two years ago, his father, Akshaylal, who had spent the past three decades as a cook at Meerut’s Kailash Prakash Stadium, lost his job when the pandemic struck. His two sons – Neeraj and Sunil, both athletes – suddenly found they had to help the family make ends meet. They dropped their training and started helping their father sell vegetables on a push cart. In earlier interviews, Neeraj had revealed that he spent the Covid 19 lockdown selling vegetables with his family. Any free time he had was spent training at home with an indoor target, though he didn’t think he would get back to competitive archery again.

Life, however, did show him kindness. The two boys, who wore their respective jerseys as they sold vegetables, attracted public attention. People took videos and posted them on social media and before long, the press had arrived at their doorstep. Word of Neeraj’s plight eventually reached then union sports minister Kiren Rijiju. The ministry of youth affairs and sports responded promptly and both brothers were offered INR 5 lakh each, under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay national welfare scheme. And that’s how Neeraj bought his first proper bow.

I’m happy to announce that Sports Ministry has sanctioned Rs 5 lakh each for UP archer Neeraj Chauhan and boxer Sunil Chauhan under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Fund. The athletes had a acute financial crisis because their father lost his livelihood during the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/b8XnxoyHHU

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) October 6, 2020

Sonam Malik, Olympic wrestler

Sleep deprived and exhausted, Sonam Malik arrived at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in 2021 with only one thing on her mind – the upcoming weigh-in. For the then 18-year-old from Sonipat, Haryana, not overshooting the 62-kilo mark was the only priority. The qualifiers were held at Kazakhstan and Sonam proved herself a star, narrowly winning her third bout after a superb comeback that secured her place in the Tokyo Olympics. She was the youngest Indian woman wrestler to qualify.

By this time, she had already won a gold at the National Games (2016). The following year, she bagged the silver at the Cadet National Championship, a gold in the World School Games and another gold at the Cadet World Wrestling Championship, all in 2017. In 2019, she won another gold at the same event.

At Tokyo 2020, she lost in the opening round. Disappointed, and a lesson learnt, she threw herself into training with added zeal. She set her sights on the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games but after a knee injury that happened at the semifinal bout in Tokyo, she has been forced to withdraw from the trials this year.

Time for me to get back in the Game #Wrestling @FederationWrest
.
Stronger ..💪
.
Faster .. 🤼‍♂️
.
Together .. 🇮🇳
.
and aim HIGHER .. 🎯
.#Olympic #Olympism #Stronger #Faster #Higher – #Together @Olympics @WeAreTeamIndia @Media_SAI pic.twitter.com/QpDBbuV1SH

— Sonam Malik (OLY) 🇮🇳 (@OLYSonam) November 23, 2021

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Sahith Theegala

Sahith Theegala

The pandemic nearly cut golfer Sahith Theegala’s glowing collegiate career year short, when he returned home during his senior year at Pepperdine. Although the season ended early, Sahith’s team ranked first in the nation. In 2020, he won the Haskins Award, the Ben Hogan Award and the Jack Nicklaus Award, becoming the fifth person ever to win all three awards in the same year. In June 2020, Theegala made his professional debut – in a rather unusual place. The Outlaw Tour might not have been what the collegiate golfing star had imagined but his stellar performance saved the day. Theegala’s e-under-par 62 gave him a share of the lead in round one, along with Andrew Funk at the Lone Tree Classic in Chandler, Arizona.

The 24-year-old PGA Tour rookie participated in the Genesis Invitational in February 2022, losing out to Scottie Scheffler at the very last moment. Tied for lead standing on the tee of the 17th hole, a poor chip led to a bogey and he conceded to Scheffler. Still, the PGA tour rookie came very close to displacing the stars. What’s more, he won many hearts after the game when he teared up, according to Golf Digest, with his “dad repeatedly telling him, ‘It’s OK’ as his son sobs on his mother’s shoulder.

An emotional @SRTheegala is consoled by mom and dad after coming up 1 shot short of a playoff @WMPhoenixOpen.

The 24-year-old earned countless new fans this week. pic.twitter.com/tq5Q2YsFCy

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 13, 2022

In the current season, he made nine cuts in eleven starts. At the Sanderson Farms Championship, he was either leading or tied for the lead after each of the first three rounds, according to Golf Digest. He ultimately finished T-8.

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Published on 12, Apr 2022

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Scaling new heights: Meet young Indian mountaineers who are climbing their success peaks

(January 13, 2023) When mountaineer Avtar Singh Cheema first decided to be a part of the Indian Army mission to scale Mt Everest in 1965, many in his village came to see him off, thinking they wouldn't meet him again. He went on to become the first Indian to conquer the world's tallest mountain, inspiring many Indians to undertake challenging expeditions. However, the last few years have seen a steep rise in the number of young mountaineers who are not afraid to scale the heights of these ice monsters. Global Indian takes a look at some of these young mountaineers, who are flying the nation's tricolour very high - quite literally! Arjun Vajpai Snowed in for seventy-two hours at 7,000 metres, Arjun Vajpai lost sensation in the left side of his body. His Sherpas had long since abandoned the teenager – his first attempt to scale Mount Cho Oyu in Nepal in 2012 had resulted in catastrophe. Arjun is no ordinary kid, however, two years prior, in 2010, he had achieved the ultimate mountaineering feat – scaling Mount Everest – and becoming the youngest Indian ever to do so. In 2011, he became the youngest person to climb Lhotse and the

ount Everest – and becoming the youngest Indian ever to do so. In 2011, he became the youngest person to climb Lhotse and the youngest mountaineer to scale Mount Manaslu. No stranger to adversity, therefore, Arjun began the agonising descent from Mount Cho Oyu, crawling for 17 hours using only his right arm and leg.

[caption id="attachment_17559" align="aligncenter" width="582"] Arjun at the Kangchenjunga Base Camp, in 2018[/caption]

Today, the youngster holds the title of being the world’s youngest mountaineer to summit six out of the total 14 highest mountains in the world. Born to Col. Sanjeev Vajpai and Priya Vajpai in 1993, Arjun’s fascination for trekking and mountaineering goes back to his childhood. He started young and began training at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi. The mountaineer who loves exploring the routes of new peaks, however, doesn't feel are records are endgame. "It makes me feel super happy but I’m not someone who chases records. It’s a moment of pride, not just for me but for the country, to hold a title and each time motivates me to climb more and take India’s flag to some of the highest peaks on earth. I want to be the youngest in the world to do all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres," he shared during a press interaction.

Anvitha Reddy

The youngest daughter of a farmer from a small district of Telangana, Bhongir, Anvitha was always good at sports. She got to know about mountaineering while pursuing her graduation and was motivated by her physical education trainer to join a group training to climb Mt Kilimanjaro - the highest peak in the African continent. There was no looking back for this mountaineer after she conquered the African giant in January 2021. The same year, Avnitha scaled Mt Elbrus and Mt Khadey.

In 2022, Anvitha became the first Indian woman to reach the True Summit of Mount Manaslu - the world’s eighth-highest mountain (8,163 metres) - in Nepal. "I was ecstatic on reaching the top of the world, a moment I aspired for the last eight years had come true. It was this moment which kept me going despite enormous challenges," the mountaineer shared during a press interaction, adding, "I’ve planned to climb seven mountains in the seven continents in one-and-half years. Now that I’ve already climbed three, the next treks will begin in December."

Virat Chandra

When a five-year-old Virat first told his parents that he wanted to climb mountains, his parents thought that it was just one of those things kids say while growing up, and forget about the next day. But when Virat persisted, they had no choice but to introduce him to a local mountaineering trainer. Exactly two years later, Virat Chandra Telukunta became one of the youngest mountaineers to summit Mt Kilimanjaro in 2021. And just one year later, Virat won the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar.

"I remember when we stepped out for the last leg of climbing Kilimanjaro, the visibility was very low. I was frightened because it was still dark and whistling winds with a snow downpour. With support from our guides, we could make it to the summit. It took almost eight hours to reach the summit," the mountaineer shares, adding, "I am very happy and proud that I was honoured by the Prime Minister of India. I have just started my mountaineering journey and there are many other peaks I want to scale."

Piyali Basak

A young primary school teacher from the small village of Chandernagore in West Bengal, Piyali Basak created history by becoming the first Indian to scale the highest mountain in the world, Mt Everest, without any supplemental oxygen in 2022. The mountaineer, who has been passionate about this adventure sport since she was a young girl, had attempted the record in 2019 as well, however, had to drop the plan due to bad weather conditions. But that is not where it ends. After conquering Everest, she climbed Mount Lhotse - the world's fourth-tallest mountain - in just two days. In 2021, the young mountaineer also climbed Mount Dhaulagiri in Nepal without oxygen supplementation.

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A post shared by Piyali Basak (@piyali.basak.90)

The mountaineer, who was inspired by legendary Tenzing Norgay, shared with the press, "I started my journey when I was just five. I could climb mountains easily without any support. I started going for treks at an early age and developed a passion for them. Mountaineering is my life and I will continue climbing new peaks, and making my country proud."

Reading Time: 6 mins

Swinging his best: Indian Golfer Hardik Chawda is aiming for the big shot

(April 2, 2022) As a child, Hardik S Chawda would often wonder where his father Sunil would go early each morning. One such morning in 2008 when Hardik was eight, he insisted on accompanying his father and Sunil drove him straight to the golf course. “This is where I come every morning,” the businessman told his son, who scanned the golf course with excitement. That was also the first time he held a golf club. Today, at 21, Hardik is at his golfing best. He recently became the first from the Hyderabad Golf Association and Telangana to crack the professional golf tour of India's "B" card, on his first attempt. Hardik achieved this feat at the PGTI qualifying school which was held in Ahmedabad at Kalhaar Blue and Greens golf course in February this year. [caption id="attachment_13785" align="aligncenter" width="469"] Hardik S Chawda[/caption] His driving force “My dad introduced me to golf. He often told me to focus on one sport and indulge in it with complete dedication. So I chose golf over everything,” smiles Hardik, speaking with Global Indian. He went through the pre-qualifying events out of which 130 qualified for the final stage. "After four days of competition, the

in it with complete dedication. So I chose golf over everything,” smiles Hardik, speaking with Global Indian. He went through the pre-qualifying events out of which 130 qualified for the final stage. "After four days of competition, the top 40 made the 'A' card and those who finished 41 to 80 got the 'B' card. I finished 51st," says the beaming golfer. With an 'A' card, one can play all the events irrespective of the prize money at stake while the 'B' card holders will get to participate in fewer events. Nonetheless the 'B' card gives him access to about 20 tournaments across the country and he will also be eligible to play tourneys in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

"It was a great week for me and kind of a mixed bag. After the third day, I was doing well and in contention for the 'A' card. But during the final round, I had two bad holes which denied me a top 40 finish and I slipped to 51,” says the young golfer about the recent tournament.

What it takes

"One of the key aspects in this sport is patience. At my level of game, it is all about your mental strength,” says Hardik, a BCom final year student of St Mary’s college in Yousufguda, Hyderabad. He is now completely focussed on his game, putting in many hours of practice, shaping his game to the best.

The youngster says that you either win or lose a tournament with your decision making. "On a professional tour, everyone has a good swing, short game and able putting. A player who makes the right decisions on the course and plays with a very relaxed and confident mindset wins,” says the professional golfer, who has 14 clubs in his 'arsenal' besides other equipment. “Golf equipment is quite expensive and not affordable to most but I'm very thankful to my parents who support me," he says.

Practice makes perfect

Hardik spends anywhere between six to eight hours on his full golf days, which includes close to two hours of fitness. “I do try to play every day except for the days when I have an exam or other academic commitments,” says the Hyderabad-born lad, who studied in Delhi Public School. During lockdown and post lockdown, when there was no golfing, he assisted his father in their chemical business. “But now that I have turned pro, I barely get any time.” The Chawda family originally belongs to Gujarat but have settled in Hyderabad for decades.

[caption id="attachment_13787" align="aligncenter" width="638"] Hardik S Chawda with his family[/caption]

He says fitness plays a huge role in professional golfing. “Golf is no more for a short hitter. Everyone now understands the importance of fitness and how it can benefit their game and we see players hitting more than 320- 330 yards of carry distance,” says Hardik. His workout comprises warm up stretches which he does before he leaves to play. Upon return, he does foam rolling just to release and relax the whole body. “I also do a little bit of meditation before my rounds. I try to eat healthy and avoid oily and junk food as much as I can,” informs the golfer, who likes to play cricket and basketball with friends in his free time besides watching adventure or rom-coms on Netflix and other OTT platforms.

So what are Hardik’s future plans? “Firstly, I want to play well on the Professional Golf Tour Of India this year. Thereafter, I aim to move on to the Asian Tour, European tour and ultimately the PGA tour. For me nothing matters until I'm on the PGA tour. It's like a dream come true for me competing against the world's top golfers,” smiles the golfer, who is hoping he would compete against the greatest golfer of all times Tiger Woods himself one day. He credits his coach Sanjay Kumar Singh (Hyderabad), Jesse Grewal (Chandigarh), Muneer sir (fitness coach Hyderabad) and Sagar Diwan (fitness Coach Chandigarh). "Importantly, my whole family supported me and backed me throughout," says Hardik, for whom the Hyderabad Golf Association has been his home club, since he started his golf career from there.

Reading Time: 6 min

Skater girl: Meet Janaki Anand, the youngest Indian skateboarder

(October 24, 2024) On March 11, 2021, an Instagram page named @skatekochi uploaded a video of a six-year-old Indian skateboarder, Janaki Anand, during a practice session at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. The video instantly went viral, not just because of Janaki's exceptional talent on the skateboard, but also for her grit and courage. In the video, the young Indian skateboarder stumbles a couple of times but refuses to give up, persevering until she manages to get the trick right. In the end, she is surrounded by the Fly Squad, one of Kochi's first skateboarding communities. Born in Dubai, where she first discovered skateboarding, the Global Indian moved back to Kerala with her family, who hope to draw attention and resources to what is now an Olympic sport and empower other young girls to follow their dreams. [caption id="attachment_32218" align="aligncenter" width="571"] Janaki Anand, the youngest Indian skateboarder[/caption] India’s young skateboarding star Around the same time, Janaki's mother, Jincy, opened an Instagram page in her daughter's name - she garnered thousands of followers quickly and is India's youngest skateboarder. Although the skateboarding scene in India is quite nascent, Janaki is mentioned alongside well-known names like Mohammed Khadir and Atita Verghese

oung skateboarding star

Around the same time, Janaki's mother, Jincy, opened an Instagram page in her daughter's name - she garnered thousands of followers quickly and is India's youngest skateboarder. Although the skateboarding scene in India is quite nascent, Janaki is mentioned alongside well-known names like Mohammed Khadir and Atita Verghese of the Bengaluru-based HolyStoked Collective, and Harshad Kamble of the Beastmode Crew, Mumbai.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, where Janaki was practicing when she first entered the limelight, is among the top training centres for skateboarders in the country. With skateboarding being named an Olympic sport in 2020, more resources are coming into developing facilities for young, rising stars like Janaki. Her family eventually moved back home to Kerala, to give Janaki access to better resources and to empower other kids who want to be skateboarders too. With her growing Instagram presence and collaborations with the Indian skateboarder community, Janaki is already making an impact.

Her first love

Janaki first got on a skateboard when she was two years old, in Dubai, where her family was based at the time. Her father, Anand Thampi, was the first in the family to fall in love with the sport. Her older brother Rehan followed and would become Janaki's role model. She would watch him intently, trying to copy what he did. "I learned like that and practiced," Janaki said, in an interview. By the age of 3, the young Indian skateboarder was able to get around on a skateboard, and her family, who saw her talent, encouraged it.

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A post shared by Janaki Anand (@skate_janzz)

As toddlers her age were still learning to walk and run, Janaki would attempt to balance on a skateboard inside her house, holding onto the edge of whatever furniture was nearby, or the wall. When she was four years old, her family took her to a skate park. "We used to get a lot of negative comments about what she was doing," admits Janaki's mother, Jincy. "She was skateboarding on the road in Dubai, or in parks nearby and people would criticise us." Although people assumed Janaki was being pushed into a professional career at a very young age, that was not the case. Janaki learns on her own, without a professional coach.

"Skateboarding is not like other sports," says Jincy. "We don't have many professional Indian skateboarders, there are no facilities really for professional coaching or training. But we don't think she needs anyone either. She can figure it out on her own. There is no limit to what one can do on a skateboard, she can do anything she wants if she sets her mind to it."

Staying true to her mother's words, Janaki is constantly pushing herself. Her brother was her first role model but she moved quickly on to YouTube, where she would professionals and advanced skateboarders. Her father guides her after that, helping her with the nuances of mastering the tricks.

Passion and dedication

Janaki's day begins at 8.30 am, and she practices all morning, takes a break for lunch and then returns to her stakeboard. Her parents even made the difficult decision to take her out of regular school and switch to online learning instead, to give their daughter room to grow and develop her passion. "That was a tough choice because even though online classes became more common during the pandemic, children are expected to physically attend school," says Jincy. Her parents stand by her firmly, defending her against criticism - "We look at her struggles as she tries to learn and her courage. That gives us strength too," says Janaki's mother. Moreover, the many scars and scratches she gathered on her limbs didn't go down well in a traditional Indian society, where little girls are not expected to do such 'boyish' things.

Janaki Anand learned how to skateboard just as babies learn how to walk. By falling all the time, getting hurt, picking herself up, and carrying on anyway. That was another trial by fire for the family, who couldn't bear to see their daughter cry. "It's the same as watching kids learn to walk - they fall, cry and do it again. We don't stop them from doing that. If she dares to take it forward, then we will accept what goes with that," says Jincy.

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A post shared by Janaki Anand (@skate_janzz)

Exploring the Indian skateboarding scene

When she was four years old, just before the pandemic in 2020, Janaki's family took her to a skate park in Dubai. That was also the day her mother created an Instagram account @skate_janzz, for the young Indian skateboarder. When the lockdown was put into place, Janaki didn't let it stop her. She continued to practice indoors, learning to master different tricks.

They returned to India soon after and Janaki Anand went on a South India tour in 2021, covering all five states in 20 days, to bring attention to the sport. She met with skating communities like the Kovalam Skate Club and Cosmic Skaters. Fly Squad members Sreekumar Santosh, Efraim Anthony, and Arun Kumar also took the little girl under their wing, teaching her more advanced techniques.

Her parents have shown just as much courage in their way. "My husband and I were keen to introduce this sport, especially to little girls, as a way of empowering them," Jincy told the Indian Express. "Simultaneously, we wanted to ensure the right resources for the sport by bringing it to the notice of the authorities. It would also ensure a wider platform for Janaki in her own country."

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‘Dhing Express’ Hima Das: The sprinter who is compared with a super-fast train

(October 5, 2022) Sprinter Hima Das created history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal at a track event at the  IAAF World U20 Championships in 2018 in Finland. Owing to her fantastic sports performances back-to-back, the Assam-born athlete was appointed as the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) under Assam’s state integrated sport policy in 2021. Proud to wear this uniform and fortunate enough to serve my state and my country on two fields. Hima posted on social media, donning her police uniform with pride. The Bannerghatta Biological Park named a tigress cub 'Hima' to honour the sprinter. The youngster also holds the national record for clocking 400 meters in 50.79 seconds at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. She is only the second athlete to have done her state proud by bringing home a gold at an international sporting event, after 1940-born Bhogeswar Baruah, who had won gold at the 1966 Asian Games. “I don't show tension and nervousness but I know how fast my heart beats before a race,” Hima had admitted in an interview with Olympics.com. [caption id="attachment_22672" align="aligncenter" width="713"] Hima Das with Sachin Tendulkar[/caption] Journey of the Dhing Express Born in 2000, Hima is nicknamed Dhing Express, after

aruah, who had won gold at the 1966 Asian Games.

“I don't show tension and nervousness but I know how fast my heart beats before a race,” Hima had admitted in an interview with Olympics.com.

[caption id="attachment_22672" align="aligncenter" width="713"] Hima Das with Sachin Tendulkar[/caption]

Journey of the Dhing Express

Born in 2000, Hima is nicknamed Dhing Express, after the town near which she was born in Assam. As a child, she aspired to become a football player and loved playing the sport with the boys of her school in the village. However, the physical education teacher of the school identified her talent as a sprinter and motivated her to take it further. Although Hima’s only experience was of running through her village’s muddy rice fields, she followed his advice and as they say, the rest is history!

Born in Kandhulimari village near Dhing, to a farmer couple named Ronjit and Jonali Das, Hima is the youngest of five siblings. She attended Dhing Public High School and later, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya. After passing her senior secondary exam in 2019, Hima went on to pursue bachelor of arts in Cotton University, Assam.

[caption id="attachment_22670" align="aligncenter" width="751"] Sprinter on track[/caption]

Eventful achievements in the 18th year of life

2018 was an eventful year for the Global Indian. She won the 400 m final at the IAAF World U-20 Championships held at Tampere, Finland, clocking 51.46 seconds.

Indian track-and-field legend and former Olympian, PT Usha, gave the young athlete a rave review on social media:

Hima was inundated with congratulations from well-wishers across the country, including the president, Prime Minister, sport ministers and Bollywood personalities.

At the 2018 Asian Games, she qualified for the 400 m final, after clocking 51.00 in heat 1. She set a new Indian national record, even though it was the silver that came her way. The same year, the sprinter went on to improve the national record to 50.79 seconds in the 400 m final. 

[caption id="attachment_22696" align="alignnone" width="883"] Hima Das with Sourav Ganguly and Abhishek Bachchan[/caption]

Later, in August 2018, along with M. R. Poovamma, Sarita Gayakwad and V. K. Vismaya, the Dhing Express won women's 4 × 400 metres mix relay clocking 3:28.72 which was held for the first time at the Asian Games. This was the year of Hima’s international debut and not many sport lovers were aware of her. They soon learned, when multiple medals, with some historic ones, made her a household name. Hima was given the Arjuna Award by the President of India that year.

Roaring success with five golds in second year of her debut

Hima continued her superb performances the following year too. In July 2019, she won the 200m gold in Poznan Grand Prix in Poland at 23.65 seconds. She went on to win 200m gold at the Kutno Athletics Meet in Poland with a time of 23.97 seconds just after five days of the first win. Within a week of her second win, she bagged her third gold at the Kladno Athletics meet in Czech Republic, clocking 23.43 seconds. That same month, she added a fourth to her kitty, this time at the Tabor Athletics Meet in Czech Republic with 23.25 seconds. A fifth gold followed at the 400-metre event in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic with 52.09 seconds. In an astonishing 18-day period, between July 2 and July 20 2019, Hima won five golds and became a queen in the hearts of India's athletics fans.

So enormous was her success that the entire world took notice of the sprinting glory. “At this age, she has exhibited great courage and confidence. I didn’t see any sign of nervousness during the events,” remarked the ace sprinter, PT Usha on social media.

The athlete was being slotted for the World Championships to be held at Doha in October 2019 but unfortunately her participation had to be ruled out due to a back injury which kept her out of action for months.

Confidence and hope unaffected by injury

Though she has returned from the injury lay-off, she is returning one step at a time. She has been running 100m and 200m. “I have not cut (off) from running 400 meters. It (recuperating after injury) is a long process,” she said in an interview.

The right side of her back still gives quite a trouble. She has won 100m gold in the National Inter-State Championships with her personal best time of 10.43s.” "My L4 and L5 (two lowest vertebrae in the lumbar spine) were broken and was in a different position. Whenever I run it affects me. I did my physiotherapy and ran 30m, 40m, 50m, 100m and then 200m gradually. Till 300m, I am fine,” she told her eager fans.

The challenge...

The last 100 m of a 400-meter race is the most crucial as the sprinters have to pick a lot of speed, then. This is where Hima has been facing problems. Talking about the condition at a training stint in Poland, she said, “when I did that once I had to be taken to the hospital.” The committed athlete faced the same problem at National Inter-State Championships in Patiala in 2021 and got forced to pull out of the 100 m and 4 X 100 due to the pain. She even had to skip the Tokyo Olympics.

The sprinter was eagerly looking forward to come back with a bang at Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 but coming to the previous form required some more recuperation. She failed to qualify for the finals of the women's 200m in August 2022.

National Games 2022

The 36th National Games of India is being held in Gujarat from September 29 to October 12, 2022. India’s prestigious multi-event sporting competition has returned after a gap of seven years in Gujarat. It was last held in 2015 in Kerala. The nation wanted the ‘Dhing Express’ to come roaring back to action. However, she could not clinch the gold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=970H49AxWfo

She hasn’t lost hope and is looking forward to future events. Hima, is among an elite team of sports stars who have put India on the world map for athletics. She enjoys such a reputation that she will always be India’s ‘star sprinter’.

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Shahan Ali Mohsin becomes the first Indian to win FIA Formula 4 car racing Indian series

(December 23, 2023) When most kids of his age were glued to cartoons on television, Shahan Ali Mohsin would watch motorsport racing. But his visit to the Indian Grand Prix changed it all for the teenager. Looking at the fast-speed cars, he knew he wanted to be on the track driving one. And now a few years later, he has become the first Indian to win the FIA Formula 4 car racing championship. The 19-year-old, who represents the Hyderabad Black Birds team, picked up the trophy at Madras International Circuit in Sriperumbudur, a town panchayat some 35 km away from Chennai. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shahan Ali Mohsin (@shahan_racing) It's nothing short of a dream come true for the teenager who has spent a considerable amount of his life on racetracks. It was in 2011 that he first visited Indian Grand Prix, and was determined to make a career in motorsports. Seeing his passion, his father Shahroo Mohsin, a shoe exporter based in Agra, did some research and soon enrolled Shahan at the Meco Motorsports Karting Academy in 2012. He adapted to it pretty soon. "In my first time driving a go-kart I

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A post shared by Shahan Ali Mohsin (@shahan_racing)

It's nothing short of a dream come true for the teenager who has spent a considerable amount of his life on racetracks. It was in 2011 that he first visited Indian Grand Prix, and was determined to make a career in motorsports. Seeing his passion, his father Shahroo Mohsin, a shoe exporter based in Agra, did some research and soon enrolled Shahan at the Meco Motorsports Karting Academy in 2012. He adapted to it pretty soon. "In my first time driving a go-kart I was already pretty fast. Mr. Ebrahim (Akbar Ebrahim) coached me over the years, which helped me learn racecraft. In the first year itself, I was in the top five. And by the end of my first year in the national championship, I already had a podium. By the second year I was already in the top three, and I was leading the championship for a brief while as well," he said in an interview.

The very next year, Shahan began competing in the Asian Rotax Championship. By the second season, he already managed a few podiums. At the age of 12, he won the Asian Championship's Micro Max category and even had his first race in Europe at the Rotax Grand Festival. "In 2018, I returned to Europe to do the Central European Championship. I got one podium, a second place, there. I did the Rotax Grand Festival in 2017 as well, finishing fourth that year," he added.

In 2018, Shahan faced a major setback while racing (Trofeo Andrea Margutti) in Italy when he felt a sudden pain in his ribcage. Upon his return to India, the MRI revealed a fracture in his left rib, which was caused by an injury in 2017 when he had a crash in the national championship. The injury kept him off the tracks for four months which Shahan describes as a difficult time. "I had to stay away from racing. I couldn't do anything. There was no gym, no fitness, which was very boring for me. But in the first race after the injury, I was already on the pace. And the second race after that I won," he revealed.

It was in 2019 when Shahan turned 15 that he switched from karting to single-seater with MRF F1600, making him the youngest single-seater driver in India. "The transition was difficult, but I adapted to it in one or two races. You're moving from a kart of 80kg to a single-seater which is 500kg. It's a big difference. And then you have aero, suspension, etc. Plus, in karting, you've got 30bhp, and in single-seaters you have 140-150bhp. It was a big difference in terms of engine and power. Then there was the gearbox. It took some time, but I adapted to it. There was a lot to learn," he said in an interview.

Shahan credits his dad for the journey that he has been able to undertake in motorsports. The racer says that his dad always had a blueprint helping him navigate the course for the next few years. "He always had a plan, and he built me up from scratch. He moved me from the Indian national scene to Asia, then to Europe, and then to single-seaters," added the teenager.

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For the next three years, he kept clinching awards that have cemented his position in the world of motorsports. In 2019, he was awarded Best Driver of the Year and in 2021, he won the Indian National Car Racing Championship followed by becoming the first Indian to race in the Indian Racing League in 2022. And now, he has become the first Indian to win the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) Formula 4 car racing championship.

The F4 cars, sanctioned by the FIA, are imported from France and are equipped with turbocharged Renault engines, allowing them to attain speeds of up to 250 km/hr. The Indian F4 Championship comprises a field of 12 drivers, including three from India, as well as representatives from various countries such as Australia, the US, Tasmania, England, UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and a female driver from India.

"I have set a goal to make India proud by giving my best in the remaining races of the championship," Shahan said.

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