Paralympic Silver Medalist Bhavina Patel Meets 85 Nanhi Kalis; Gives Leadership Talk To Young Students On Embracing Sports

Two Mumbai-based national-level swimmers Rabhya Singh, 18, and Tarini Mazumder, 17, are spearheading a movement to promote fitness, self-confidence, and equal opportunities for young girls in sports, especially the ones from lesser privileged communities.

Joining their student-led initiative F.A.S.T. Rani was Bhavina Patel, World No. 1 in para table tennis, who gave an inspiring talk to around 85 girls associated with the Nanhi Kali organisation on September 27.

In an interview with FPJ, before the event began, Rabhya, a student of Aditya Birla World Academy, and Tarini who attends Dhirubhai Ambani International School, spoke about their excitement on hosting Bhavina and how they're breaking barriers while building confidence in young girls.

The chance to meet an Olympic medallist in person and get the opportunity to speak to her amped up the excitement levels for the two girls. "Meeting such an inspirational person face-to-face is exciting," exclaims Rabhya. "Our work in BMC schools has shown us that even small interventions can create significant transformations in a girl's confidence and self-belief."

"I'm most excited to see the reaction of the young girls on meeting Bhavina. They are so enthusiastic and excited to meet someone as successful as her despite facing several difficulties," quips Tarini.

Commenting on why they got someone like Bhavina to come and meet the Nanhi Kalis, Tarini adds, "We founded F.A.S.T. (which stands for Fit. Aware. Strong. Talented) Rani because we believe every girl deserves the chance to discover her strength, both physical and mental, and the best way to do it is through sports. Bhavina's story resonates perfectly with our mission. She has overcome barriers that seemed insurmountable and proven that with proper support and unwavering determination, girls can achieve greatness in sports."

As for Bhavina, who is undoubtedly a huge source of inspiration for millions across the globe, spoke about her struggles with polio. "I got an admission in school, but my parents had to carry me on their shoulders to get there. Despite being brilliant in school, I couldn't get to my classroom during the rains as it was difficult to walk in the murk with me on their shoulders."

She also spoke about her "big dreams", believing in Gandhiji and how she overcame the hurdles to become a well-known sports figure today.

Bhavina addresses the young girls during the QnA

"When we initially met the Nanhi Kalis, there was a bit of awkwardness. But after we developed a relationship with them, it almost feels as though we're learning from them rather than them learning from us. They always call us 'didi' and ask us when we're coming next. That shows the connection they have with us and is proof that we have inspired them in some way with our stories and personal journey," says Tarini.

Rabhya remembers the time one young girl walked up to her and asked, "Didi, aap aahte rahenge na (you will be coming, right)? They are used to people coming for one session and not returning. Hence, it makes a difference seeing us more often. She adds, "When we were talking to them about female athletes, we were surprised that they couldn't name even one person. They named Messi, Ronaldo and Virat, but not a single woman." That inspired Rabhya and Tarini to start a talk show to introduce the Nanhi Kalis to female athletes. They then roped in sports champions like Saina Nehwal, Mary Kom, and Paralympian Simran Sharma to come meet and interact with BMC school students. They hope to create a future where every girl can pursue sports without limitations.

The two swimmers are a huge source of inspiration, but they themselves have sports icons to look up to. Tarini is a fan of Mary Kom and has watched her movie seven times. For Rabhya, while she is also inspired by Mary Kom's personality, the other person she admires is Ayesha Billimoria. "She has had a few injuries and setbacks but is still doing her stuff and teaching people. I find that really cool," says Rabhya.

With F.AS.T. Rani, Tarini never feels like she is doing too much. "It is work that I am happy to take on. Even with swimming, I'm doing it by choice. No one is forcing me to wake up early. Balancing all this with school does get tough at times but I know we need to make time for everything."

For Rabhya, the initiative gives her the feeling that she is hanging out with friends, because in their programmes, there is 30 minutes of learning that happens, and then 30 minutes of fun, where the girls do stuff that they like. "We play with them, and it doesn't feel like a task," adds Rabhya.

Commenting about what the future holds for the Nanhi Kalis, Tarini says, "They are more confident about chasing their dreams, even if it is not related to sports."