Visually impaired judokas of India made a clean sweep at the 16th edition of the Commonwealth Judo Championships held in the United Kingdom winning seven gold medals.
The Indian national anthem could be heard 19 times at the University of Wolverhampton Sports Centre in Walsall, United Kingdom, venue of the Commonwealth Judo Championships as India’s visually impaired judokas made a clean sweep walking away with seven gold, seven silver and five bronze medals.
Nineteen members of the 20- strong Indian contingent won medals at the event, making it a day to remember.
The names of the medal-winners in each category were as follows:
Gold – Kusum, Poonam Sharma, M. Manoharan, Karmpal, Kapil Parmar, Swati Sharma and Subhashini.
The other countries taking part in the event were England, Wales, Scotland and South Africa. Scotland, England and Wales also won gold medals, but India was far ahead of the rest. The performance has made the Indian Blind and Para Judo Association, which manages visually impaired judo in India since 2010, very proud.
We are very happy to have made a clean sweep at the Commonwealth Judo Championships. I really hope that the experience and exposure that the players have got will help them play better in the future. Also, the confidence that the team gets after a performance like this, is unparalleled. – Munawar Anzar, General Secretary, Indian Blind and Para Judo Association
Aaesha Munawar, Joint Secretary of the association, told NewzHook that given the challenges faced by people with disabilities in India, their success was truly remarkable. “Compared to the kind of support that non-disabled sportspersons get, para sports gets nothing”, said Munawar. “We have to beg and borrow for everything and when you cast a glance at the support other countries give, the contrast is glaring”.
Over the years the number of visually impaired judokas in India has grown. There are now about 700 visually impaired judokas playing at the national level, about 45% of them girls. The maximum participation is seen from the states of Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Judo, says Munawar, gives them the opportunity to empower themselves, but convincing families and blind schools to send students for judo training is hard.
“We have girls as young as 10 taking part and its great to see that but the challenges are many. We want to make their parents proud and help the judokas improve their levels”. The association hopes to send a team to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and all efforts are currently geared towards that.
Tanaz Mohammed was just seven when she fell in love with sports. Before choosing football, Tanaz initially dabbled with playing track and field and even hockey. Thus it is not a surprise that the multifaceted sportsperson is a national level hockey player and a district-level footballer.
Growing up in a middle-class Muslim family, Tanaz was still finding it hard to choose just one sport. Not knowing what the future might have in store for her, she even enrolled herself in Sports Management for post-graduation program. Finishing the course as a Gold Medallist from her batch really did the rest. A new chapter in her life began when she received an offer from the ISL Franchise, Mumbai City Football Club for an internship in 2017. She accepted the offer, and today Tanaz is a grassroots development officer with the club. The Mumbaikar also is a Premier Skills-qualified Level One coach and educator, who is an advocate of women and girls’ rights in the industry. Today Tanaz, 26, is breaking the barriers by teaching hockey and football to kids and also working as a basic fitness trainer for Under-6 children.
In a candid chat with SheThePeople.TV, she speaks about playing an important role in encouraging women and girls to participate in football , especially to those belonging from the Muslim community. Excerpts of the interview.
You are a hockey player and a football coach. When did you realise that you wanted to pursue a future in football?
I was a shy kid, only into books, and it was a surprise to me and my family to know that I have had these talents inside me hidden somewhere. Because of my performance in science, my mother always thought that I’ll become a doctor in future. That’s something we both laugh about till today. It was a sure thing that I was not going to mend any bones. Ultimately, I ended up breaking a few!
Tanaz Mohammed — a grassroots development officer with Mumbai City Football Club, a Premier Skills-qualified Level One coach and educator
My journey into sports started at the age of seven. Our school was conducting selection for interschool road races and to my own surprise, I decided to give it a try. I won and qualified for it too. My parents were a little shocked to see this change in me but they didn’t hesitate in letting me choose my own path. So I started as a track and field athlete and ended up playing in a hockey team for the school. I liked this sport instantly. Those initial months of hockey training made me realize that this was where I wanted to be. I gradually evolved from a shy, bookish and timid girl, to a confident and compact sporty one.
I went on to play hockey during my entire school and college life. I played at national level. I was also selected for a Pre Junior India Camp Training. I played international for a club called Friends United which was started by Mahindras. My own journey into sports made me realize that I was meant to be here, always!
Who is your biggest inspiration?
My inspiration is my mother!
She had to give up her profession for a while after my birth. But I saw her getting back to it with so much more power. She is a homemaker and a teacher. If she can handle it so well, why can’t I and that’s my driving force, my mother.
The amount of effort and sleepless nights that she has put in to help me achieve my dream is what inspires me to love both the sports. If she being a homemaker can do this and help me become what I am, I aim to do the same for the other kids and girls out there.
From hockey to football to becoming a trainer for children in hockey. Tell us in details about the journey. What inspired you to become a coach?
Till my graduation, I was completely into sports and also managing my studies. While I still love playing Football, Hockey remained my primary passion, a cocoon you can say.
Tanaz Mohammed in action
After completing my graduation I had to decide on a career. I tried multiple jobs, some not related to sports but I tried them anyway. Then, one day, I figured out about the sports management and without any second thought, I decided to jump headlong into it. It took me a while to explain and make my parents understand where I was heading to but then the road was way clearer.
I got myself into the management studies and along with it I continued playing hockey at the national level.
I always gave equal importance to sports and studies as I knew that I had to be dedicated to get through this journey and there is no alternative to hardwork.
I was the Gold Medalist and was also named as Student Of The Year at International Institute of Sports Management (2015-2016). I was then offered an internship at Mumbai City FC. I knew that I was shifting from hockey to football, but I also knew that if I work hard and commit myself to the fullest I will be able to bring in a change.
I went through a three-year commitment with Premier Skills which helped me become a coach first and then I successfully became a Head Coach Educator, where now I can train and certify other coaches into Community Coaching of Football.
My vision was clear: I wanted young girls to feel empowered so that they grow up to become strong women. And so I got into grassroots coaching in Football.
I can happily and proudly say that I gave exposure to around 500 girls from Muslim Community who belong to a traditional background. I made them and their parents realise that football can be played while wearing a Hijab too, all you need is your foot to play
Those girls are now into football . The schools in that locality have started their own girls’ football teams and they participate in various tournaments. As a result of this, their mothers are also feeling inspired and now they train beside their daughters. This, personally, has been a great achievement for me.
I decided to become a hockey coach as I wanted to give back to the game through which I got my own identity.
The career you have chosen leads you to many injuries and roadblocks. What inspires you every day?
I can say that playing sports is what I love and this is what I am. It took me sometime to realise it but now that I have I am passionately in love with it. All roadblocks and injuries seem small in front of my goal.
You are one of the few female footballers in India who made a career in the game. What does that feel like?
No doubt it’s a great feeling, but along with it comes big responsibilities. There are little girls and kids out there looking up to me and learning from me. I need to make sure every single day that my work and hard work are towards the development of sports and those kids.
How did your life change with sports?
My life has changed exceptionally. From a shy kid to a professional woman addressing a crowd of hundreds, sports has made me who I am today. I am confident and unstoppable.
What did you learn from it?
Sports taught me one important lesson: It’s okay to fail, it’s okay to keep trying, what is not okay, is to stop. We need to keep going on and listen to that little voice inside our head, that voice knows what’s best for us. People will criticise and say a lot of negative stuff, you need to do what you think is best for you to achieve that goal.
I have given exposure to around 1500 kids, and trained around 110 coaches. My aim is to work towards gender equality too, because I feel we need to start respecting each other not as women and men but as humans.
What are your biggest personal challenges?
I guess ego, I can feel that sometimes!
People look at me with a doubt that she’s a woman and how can she do it or they question my work. But all I do is smile and tell myself let your work talk and that’s what I have been doing and will continue to do so
How is the sports scene in India for women and girls? Why isn’t it popular among women here?
There are a lot of opportunities out there and women need to come out and make the most of it. The awareness among women is still developing. We now see so many women out on field organising leagues and tournaments, we see so many women winning medals and making us proud. Women often stop themselves from reaching high by self-made barriers, they need to take that one brave step and get rid of those cages.
As a woman, I completely understand that we do face a lot of roadblocks but again it depends on us, how much we let them affect us. Do we just stop or we dare?
Feature Image Credit: Tanaz Mohammed
source: http://www.shethepeople.tv / SheThePeople / Home / by Ria Das / September 26th, 2019
Jabir finished third in Heat 1 with a timing of 49.62 seconds to qualify for the semi-finals to be held on Saturday.
Long jumper M Sreeshankar failed to reach the final after a disappointing performance while 400m hurdler M P Jabir made it to the semifinals on the opening day of the World Athletics Championships here on Friday.
Another 400m hurdler Dharun Ayyasamy, the national record holder, tumbled after the last hurdle in his heat and failed to qualify for the semifinals.
Kicking off India’s campaign, 20-year-old Sreeshankar could only produce a best jump of 7.62m from his three attempts in the qualification B to finish 22nd overall. His effort was well below his season’s best of 8.00m, which he had produced only last month in Patiala.
Later in the day, Jabir finished third in Heat 1 and 11th overall in men’s 400m hurdle with a time of 49.62 seconds to qualify for the semifinals to be held on Saturday. He has a season’s and personal best of 49.13.
Ayyasamy could only clock 50.55 as he lost precious time after hitting the final hurdle. He finished sixth in Heat 5 and 27th overall to miss out of the semifinals.
Ayyasamy, who had recovered from an injury recently, has a personal and season’s best of 48.80.
The first four in each of the five heats and the next four fastest qualify for the 400m hurdles semifinals.
source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> World Athletics / by Press Trust of India / September 27th, 2019
Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin was on Friday elected President of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). | Photo Credit: V.V. Subrahmanyam
The stylish batsman of yesteryears polled 173 votes while his opponent Prakash Chand Jain got 73 votes.
Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin was not only elected president of Hyderabad Cricket Association on Friday but also led his team to a clean sweep in the elections held at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday.
Azhar polled 147 votes compared to his nearest rival Prakash Chand Jain’s 73.
A delighted Azhar, in a chat with The Hindu, said: “I sincerely thank all those who supported me and also my panel members in this election. They have done their job and the onus is on us to implement each and every promise we made before the election.”
“My top priority is to improve cricket and the welfare of the players. As a player I am aware what exactly the players look for from the Association and I promise them that I will not disappoint them,” Azhar said.
“Yes, this huge win is a big responsibility on me and I make it clear that I will take everyone with me, as the intention of the majority of the members is to revive the old glory of Hyderabad cricket,” he said.
“I promise that we will not be confined to mere promising but will deliver the goods. You will all see the change in how the HCA will be run in the coming days. I have always believed that a cricket association has to be run in a professional manner and not like a personal fiefdom of a few. I assure everyone that a new phase of cricket administration will be ushered in in HCA,” Azhar concluded.
The HCA office-bearers:
President: Mohd. Azharuddin; Vice-president: K. John Manoj; Secretary: R. Vijayanand; Joint-secretary: Naresh Sharma; Treasurer: Surinder Kumar Agarwal; Councillor: P. Anuradha.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Cricket / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – September 27th, 2019
Sania is an aggressive player with one of the biggest forehands in the game
The stupendous success of tennis duo Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis in 2015 has helped them attain the title of 2015 Women’s Doubles World Champions
Sania was born in Mumbai but has lived in Hyderabad for much of her life
Sania Mirza is a path-breaking athlete who almost single-handedly put Indian women’s tennis on the global map. She is the first and so far the only Indian female player to have won a Grand Slam title in any format, and is also the only player to have broken into the top 30 of the WTA singles rankings. Sania’s doubles partnership with Martina Hingis is widely celebrated for its style and success. In 2015 and 2016, Sania and Hingis were the best doubles players on the planet, winning three Slams and two WTA Finals titles. Today, Sania is a sporting and socio-cultural icon in India, whose stature rivals that of the top cricketers in the country.
Sania Mirza Early Life
Sania is an aggressive player with one of the biggest forehands in the game. She can dictate any rally by powering her forehand into the corners and is capable of hitting winners off that wing even from defensive positions. Sania’s forehand was one of the main reasons why she could challenge the top players in singles at the start of her career. While she had a few weaknesses in her game, her forehand was so unique that it regularly featured in the ‘best forehands in the game’ lists. Sania’s backhand is fairly efficient, but her serve is attackable and inconsistent. Her movement is not the greatest either, which hampers her during long rallies and long matches. Sania started out as an aggressive baseliner but started approaching the net a lot more as her focus shifted to doubles. Her volleys have improved over time, and during her partnership with Hingis, she occasionally matched the Swiss’ finesse at the net.
Sania Mirza’s Personal Life
Sania was born in Mumbai but has lived in Hyderabad for much of her life. She started playing tennis at the age of six, and her father Imran Mirza has been her primary coach ever since. Sania married Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik in April 2010. In April 2018, the couple announced that they were pregnant with their first child, which put Sania’s tennis career on hold. Sania’s popularity with the Indian masses has earned her a number of endorsement deals, and she has also taken up modelling on some occasions.
Sania Mirza Stats
The stupendous success of tennis duo Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis in 2015 has helped them attain the title of 2015 Women’s Doubles World Champions. Conferred upon the two tennis stars by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), this title has brought the two women, tennis players, closer to each other. Quite contented with the award received from the ITF, Sania Mirza seeks to become an inspiration to all female tennis aspirants in India. Both, Sania and Martina have played together to win their last 22 matches, beginning from the US Open to wins recorded in Asia at Wuhan, Guangzhou, Beijing and finally the WTA Finals.
source: http://www.republicworld.com / Republic TV / Home> Sports News> Tennis News / by Asmita Shukla / Mumbai – September 18th, 2019
In order to pursue her dream of bike riding, Mehdia Fathima took up the hobby after 20 years of managing career and family; plans to take a trip from Kanyakumari to Kashmir next.
Mehdia Fathima
Bengaluru :
Mehdia Fathima had been keeping herself busy with her life, career and children’s studies. But almost four years ago, she took a break from her mundane daily routine and started exploring her true self as a solo bike rider. “During my college days, I was interested in bike riding and learned to ride one from a friend. It took me almost 20 years to get back to my hobby. All this time, I didn’t get time to think about pursuing this. I had to build my career, look after my kids and family,” said Fathima.
Today, the 48-year-old solo biker has been on two trips – Golden Quadrilateral Ride and Indian Coastline Ride – covering around 15,500 km. “I always prefer two-wheeler to four-wheeler, thanks to the horrible traffic in Bengaluru,” she smiled, adding, “But my interest in bikes bloomed again when a colleague gave a chance to ride his bike three-and-a-half years ago. I bought a Bajaj Avenger 220 Cruise and started taking part in group rides with my colleagues and Avenger club. Once I participated in a group ride with another club and they were riding at a speed of almost 120 km/hour on highways, which made me feel uncomfortable. We have to consider others’ speed and comfort when we travel in a group. I desperately wanted me-time and that’s how I started solo rides.”
In her Golden Quadrilateral Ride, she rode across 16 Indian states in three weeks and took more than four weeks for Indian Coastline Ride. “My preparations for each trip start two months ahead of the trip. They are self-funded and done out of passion and hobby.” Fathima, who is a mother of two teenagers, also shared that she had to face a lot of criticism from others when she took the decision of riding solo. “Many asked what I want to prove at this age. My question is, why should a woman always have to prove herself for everything? We have to prove we are equal or better than men at the workplace, home, and so on,” she said. Not just gender stereotypes, she questions generalisations about women riders. “I always wear hijab. In fact, while riding, hijab gives more protection from dust and sun exposure. I don’t think solo driving is unsafe for women in the country. There are differences in the attitude of people in different places. But if you are a normal traveller and avoid night rides, I think our highways are safe for all riders,” she added.
Fathima, an IBM employee who lives in RT Nagar with her family – her husband works with an FMCG company – completed her last solo ride in January.
“During my coastline trip, I interacted with a lot of fishermen communities across the country and realised how privileged I am as a city dweller. I learned self-confidence, patience and tolerance towards other cultures and people. I wanted to give back some values to the bike riding community and started teaching bike riding free of cost,” said Fathima, who finished a course with her first batch and is planning to do another soon.
Her dreams don’t stop there.
“Kanyakumari to Kashmir is my next trip that I’m planning in December. I also want to upgrade my bike. Triumph Tiger 800 is my dream bike. Since bike riding has always been a male-dominated field, women rarely find good bikes as per their height and size. There should be more bikes produced for women.”
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Lesly Joseph / Express News Service / September 03rd, 2019
Akram Khan, Alfiya Khan along with Joint Commissioner of Police Ravindra Kadam
Nagpur Police constable Akram Khan’s 16-year-old daughter Alfiya Khan Pathan won the bronze medal in the ongoing 80+ kg category at the 3rd Nations Cup International Boxing Championship.
City’s only international boxer, Alfiya had earlier won a silver medal in the previous edition. The championship took place in Serbia on Sunday night. . Alifiya defeated Russian boxer Vorontsova Valeriia and clinched the third spot.
Alfiya Khan Pathan (Photo source: facebook)
The Indian team won four gold, four silver and four bronze medals and clinched the runners-up trophy. Also, Tamanna (48kg), Ambeshori Devi (57kg), Preeti Dahiya (60kg) Priyanka (66kg) bagged the gold medals.
In 2018, the international boxer during the Khelo India games had created history in Nagpur division after bagging the top spot.
Nagpur Police on its official Twitter handle posted,”At 16, Alfiya Khan Pathan, daughter of Police Constable Akram Khan Pathan, is leaving everyone in awe, with her commendable performance in the boxing ring. Nagpur Police congratulates Alfiya for her achievements.”
Nagpur City Police
✔@NagpurPolice
At 16, Alfiya Khan Pathan, daughter of Police Constable Akram Khan Pathan, is leaving everyone in awe, with her commendable performance in the boxing ring.
The award will be conferred on him by the President of India on August 29
In 2018, Mirza won two silver medals at the Asian Games in Jakarta
Bengaluru :
Bengaluru’s Fouaad Mirza is currently on cloud nine. After having brought laurels to the country with two silver medals in the 2018 Asian Games, the equestrian has now made it to the list of Arjuna awardees this year. The award will be conferred on him by the President of India on August 29. Speaking to CE, the 27-year-old expressed his elation, saying, “I did not believe it at first, it took some time for me to wrap my head around it. This is a true honour.” A dedicated sportsman, Mirza, who is in Germany, said his current focus is on training but upon returning to the country, his focus will be on the award.
In 2018, Mirza ended the country’s 36-year long wait for an equestrian win by bagging two silver medals at the Asian Games in Jakarta. “A lot of hard work went into achieving this feat. One has to be physically prepared, especially for a lot of hours on the saddle and in training. We started training for the Asian Games a year in advance in order to ensure smooth execution,” he recounted.
Taking us back to where it all began, Mirza recalled his childhood as the time when things began to take shape. An avid animal lover, Mirza would spend ample time with dogs, cats and other four-legged creatures. His father, Dr Hasneyn Mirza, who is a veterinarian and specialises in horses, had a great impact on him. At the age of five, Mirza started to ride at The Embassy Riding School as a hobby but little did he know that this hobby would lead to a competitive calling.
The biggest difference over the years, however, has been the upgrade in the infrastructure of training facilities and on the young talent in the field.Talking about his next big challenge, Mirza says he has blinkers on and is focused on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he aims to qualify and represent the country.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Muneef Khan / Express News Service / August 20th, 2019
A member of India’s Davis Cup teams from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s, Ali holds an enviable 9-2 win-loss record in the tourney – rated as the World Cup of the sport.
Akhtar Ali (R) at a club event in Kolkata. (Photo | Twitter)
Kolkata :
Notwithstanding his failing health and advanced age, India’s celebrated tennis player and legendary coach Akhtar Ali still keeps a keen eye on the courts of the eastern metropolis to spot and guide budding talent. Now a 80-plus veteran, Ali leads a simple life, spending time with his grandchildren and has little hesitation in saying: “I have no regrets”.
A member of India’s Davis Cup teams from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s, Ali holds an enviable 9-2 win-loss record in the tourney – rated as the World Cup of the sport. Proficient in both singles and doubles, he has played alongside the country’s legends like Ramanathan Krishnan, Naresh Kumar, Premjit Lall and Jaidip Mukerjea.
Later, as a coach, he guided the creme de la creme of Indian tennis — Ramesh Krishnan, Vijay Amritraj, Anand Amritraj and Leander Paes. Even Sania Mirza once publicly expressed her indebtedness to Ali for having set her on the right track during her formative years.
As a player, Ali grabbed the limelight in 1955, when he first claimed the Junior national title, and continued his wonderful show to reach the semi-finals of the Junior Wimbledon.
The Davis Cup stints till bring tears to his eyes as Ali turns emotional and nostalgic.
“In 1964, I went to Lahore to play the Davis Cup. Myself, S.P. Misra and Gaurav Misra. Four matches we won, one match could not be completed due to bad weather,” he recalled during an interview with IANS.
But it is India’s 3-2 victory over Brazil in 1966 on his South Club home ground that Ali cherishes the most, though he did not get to play any of the matches.
“The Davis Cup was a big thing in those days. I was a member of the Davis Cup squad. When India beat Brazil, that was a big moment and that is the lasting memory I have. That was the first big tie we won and we reached the final,” he said.
The Brazil victory and his son Zeeshan Ali’s success as both a tennis player and coach keeps coming back as one converses with him.
“I have no regrets. I am very attached with the 1966 Brazil win. My son is also a national champion and Davis Cup coach. There is no other family in the world which has a father-son duo to have played and also coached Davis Cup teams”.
In fact, the International Tennis Federation confirmed this in 2013.
Talking about his success as a coach, Ali said: “I enjoy coaching and I work hard. I have produced the maximum national champions and Davis Cup players. I also coached Belgium and Malaysia. I went to the best coaches to learn,” said Ali, who got the coveted Arjuna Award in 2000.
He leads a disciplined and routine life in a nicely done-up South Kolkata flat.
“After I wake up, I do my namaaz. Then I go to the club (South Club). I go to the Saturday Club also. Then I come home, have my lunch and if there is bank work, I do that.
“I lead a simple life. I go to South Club again and help the players. I am not coaching anybody at the moment because I am not well. But I help BTA (Bengal Tennis Association) in finding promising players. That keeps me busy. I love coaching. I enjoy it.
“I go to bed early. Sometimes my grandchildren come over and I spend time with them. It’s good fun,” he recalled, satisfaction ringing in his voice.
However, notwithstanding his high spirits, Ali has recently had his bouts of illness.
“I had lost eight kilos. My hand was shaking and it was tough for me. I took a lot of medicine. I saw the doctor. Doctor told me this was due to old age.
“I am much better now. I am pulling on. I am fit. I train light and can run a little bit” he said.
India’s recent performance in Davis Cup, a tournament in which the country finished runners-up thrice in the past, may not be that noteworthy, but Ali is optimistic.
“We have talented youngsters, but they have to work very hard,” he maintained.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sport> Tennis / by IANS / August 18th, 2019
Ayesha Noor, a 21-year-old Karate champion from the slums of Kolkata, will be representing India in an upcoming international sports meet, which is to be held in Thailand. Her story is nothing but inspirational and heartening.
The 21-year-old’s journey witnesses a lot of suffering; Ayesha was afflicted with epileptic seizures from the time of birth. She lost her father in 2010, and her mother Shakila Begum had to make ends meet by sewing clothes from home.
A ray of hope for young Ayesha while she was living in the slums of Beniakupur in Kolkata, coach M. A. Ali saw potential and took her under his wing, grooming her to be a solid contender in Karate.
The young karate champion has won three gold medals for India, making her a fierce force to be reckoned with. Her first win was in 2010, followed by winning gold again in Bangkok in 2013 and 2015. Ayesha Noor was honoured by the United States of America as the ‘Hero of Gender Equality’ in 2017, at a function held at the American Center in New Delhi. She was also awarded the ‘Times Women Heroes Award’ on 7th June, by the Times of India. At such a young age, Ayesha Noor has now become a great influence for many.
A documentary film has also been made which depicts her journey from the slums of Kolkata to winning gold in karate at the international level, despite her health condition and financial struggle. The story of this young karate champ is nothing but inspirational. We can’t wait to watch her slay at the international sports meet in Thailand. More power to you, Ayesha!
source: http://www.femina.in / Femina / Home> Trending> Achievers / by Eden Noronha / August 10th, 2019
