‘Women’s cricket team’, ‘Women’s World Cup’, ‘Women Hockey team’ as opposed to ‘Indian Cricket team’ (Men’s), ‘Cricket World Cup/Football World Cup’ (Men’s), ‘Indian Hockey Team’ (Men’s) — These are some terms that we all are very familiar with. In sports, much like in most professions, the term “women” comes through as a mandatory usage when referring to women’s events, sports, tournaments, sportspersons, politicians, etc. While the generic usage is reserved for men. It’s never “Men’s IPL” or a “male” politician.
This language used is not just something that is limited to news reports or event hoardings. Rather it has a much larger socio-cultural significance. It stems from a gendered understanding that most of us are conditioned with. This patriarchal thought process looks at women, and in this case women in sports, with an unequal lens. Women in sports are still a rarity in India not because they can’t, but because they still aren’t allowed to.
Also read: Dutee Chand And The Struggle Of Women Athletes In Sports
Mirabai Chanu — BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year
On March 28th, 2022, BBC hosted the 3rd edition of ‘BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Award’. The awards ceremony was attended by eminent personalities from sports, media, and politics. The event recognised and awarded the Olympians and the Paralympians from Tokyo 2020 as well as acknowledged the efforts and struggles of sportswomen across generations. Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu was awarded the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award 2021. Chanu is the first Indian weightlifter to win a silver medal at an Olympic Games when she finished second in the 49kg category in Tokyo. The BBC Emerging Player award was presented to 18-year-old cricketer Shafali Verma, who is currently playing at the World Cup in New Zealand. The BBC also awarded Karnam Malleswari, the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal (bronze in weightlifting at the 2000 Games in Sydney) with the BBC Lifetime Achievement award. The Indian Men’s and Women’s Hockey team, Paralympic champions Avani Lekhara and Palak Kohli, Olympic boxer Lovlina Borgohain, and veteran Indian long-jump champion Anju Bobby George were also felicitated.
Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu was awarded the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award 2021. Chanu is the first Indian weightlifter to win a silver medal at an Olympic Games when she finished second in the 49kg category in Tokyo. The BBC Emerging Player award was presented to 18-year-old cricketer Shafali Verma, who is currently playing at the World Cup in New Zealand. The BBC also awarded Karnam Malleswari, the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal (bronze in weightlifting at the 2000 Games in Sydney) with the BBC Lifetime Achievement award.
While this initiative to honour women in sports and their struggles is surely commendable and is a significant step in the right direction, one must also look at the entire sports ecosystem critically to analyse why more needs to be done.
Lack of Support
One of the key factors here is the lack of support that is extended to women who want to enter sports. The patriarchal Indian society perceives women as passive participants in society. It is the same mindset that believes and propagates that women’s place is within the house and not outside. For women in sports, the first barrier they face is this, before they could access the resources and opportunities that are more easily available to men.
Talking about this to Feminism In India, Indian Hockey team goalkeeper Savita Punia says that while the journey to this stage, where now women are being pushed forward to take up sports and hockey, in particular, is heart-warming, the road to reach here hasn’t been easy. “As a team, we had it in our head that in Tokyo Olympics we are not just going to participate, but win.