On their way to glory
Achiever
By Peeyush Agnihotri

AFTER gruelling trials when the women’s Indian roller hockey team was announced last month, local skaters wore a big smile. They had a reason to rejoice as not one or two but all 10 girls, who had made it to the team, were from this region. The team will leave for Shanghai, China, in October. Nine of the team members are from Chandigarh and its vicinity.

Leading the pack is 23-year-old Radhika Mehta, an outstanding sportsperson and an MCA student studying in Panjab University. The glimmer of 93 gold, 19 silver and 17 bronze medals, which she currently has in her kitty, are enough to leave anyone dazed. When she participated in the 7th Asian Roller Skating Championship at Kang Nung, South Korea, in 1997 , she scored all four goals for India. The effort did not go unacknowledged and she was awarded "Best Fighting Spirit
Trophy" as an international skater. Back home Panjab University created a special seat for her under the Vice-Chancellor’s quota in the computer department. Daughter of a lawyer, her tryst with trophies and medals began in 1992, when she won a gold medal in Chennai and represented India at Springe, Germany. Her conquests continued unabated and she went on to win 4 gold medals in 1st North India Roller Skating Championship recently. She was also declared a champion in the Senior Women’s section.

Sapna, a student of the MCM DAV College, and Armeet Kaur, a Class VIII student from the Shivalik Public School, are the other girls who have been selected from Chandigarh. While Sapna aspires to become a lawyer, Armeet wants to be a mechanical engineer. Sapna was good at basketball too, but did not pursue it as she thought "her height was not what is required to become a cager". Who are the people behind their success in skating? Armeet gives the credit to her parents and Sapna says that besides her father, her coaches — Sarbjeet Singh and Inderpal Singh — have been instrumental in grooming her. Sapna has one grouse though: "Sportspersons are required to meet their expenses themselves. The government should bear the expenses, at least partially if not fully," she says thoughtfully.

Trophies and medals are not new for Meenakshi Kohli, Priyanka Sharma and Shreya Sawhney either. All three of them are from Hansraj Public School. Meenakshi Kohli, a Class X student has participated in international events. She visited South Korea in 1997, and won a bronze in the Seventh Asian Roller Skating Championship. She was given Rs 10,000 as Governor’s award for her feat. Daughter of a corporate executive, she says her elder sister has been a source of inspiration for her. Though in the rink her priorities are very clear, she has yet to decide on her choice of profession. "Initially I wanted to be a computer professional, then I thought of becoming a CA but now I feel I will be more successful as a mechanical engineer", she adds with a touch of well-rehearsed firmness.

Priyanka Sharma, a Class VIII student, says her interest in this sport developed spontaneously. She took to "wheels" when she was eight years old. She gradually discovered that she was good at it. Better still, her coach, Balwinder Johal, also shared her opinion. Thus she became part of a squad which participated in various national-level tournaments. She was given Rs 8,000 as Governor’s award for securing first position in the 35th National Roller Hockey Championship held at Pune in 1997. She has no plans of abandoning the sport for the sake of studies. "I’ll keep the skates tied till I get married," she says nonchalantly.

Shreya Sawhney, also a Class VIIIstudent, relates how her parents chided her initially when she entered the rink five years ago. Today they are not complaining. Neither is she. She feels she has to strike a balance between studies and sports and her sole aim is to play for her country in every international tournament.

Hinna Ahuja and Indu Madan, two other team members from Panchkula district, are plus one students at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, Chandigarh, and both have secured 83 per cent marks in Class X. While Hinna loves stopping the ball (she is a goalkeeper), Indu likes to shoot as she plays at forward position. Hinna says she likes her role because she can act as an observer and guide her teammates on some smart moves as well. She wants to appear for Civil Service examination after she graduates while Indu aspires to be a doctor.

Amrita Singh at the age of 12, is the youngest skater to be selected. A student of St. Stephen’s School, Panchkula, she reveals that she became interested in this sport when she was residing in New York. By the age of nine she had started skating. As she has no previous exposure, national or international, it is creditable that she made it as a first-timer. "For this I would like to thank my teachers and principal," she adds.

Almost every player was of the view that the trip to Shanghai should be sponsored by the government. These views were also endorsed by Rajni Thareja, President, District Roller Skating Association, Panchkula. About the future of the game, she said at a meeting held in July, roller hockey and speed skating had also been recognised by the School Games Federation of India. "This implies that national and international players would be eligible for admission under the sports quota to various colleges and universities," she adds.

Grant or no grant, the team is highly motivated and is raring to go to China. Their sole aim now is "to get global recognition for India in roller hockey". Amen!