From struggle to Asian Games glory

The sport ‘Sepak Takraw’ may not have been a popular choice for girls when she got hooked onto the ‘exciting’ game as a 14-year-old but today it is fast catching up, including in semi-urban and urban regions, thanks to the efforts of the State Association and individuals like her.

Ironically, it was not her first choice as she began as a spiker and made a mark as a talented player. However, seeing her natural abilities, her elders and coaches advised her to take to Sepak Takraw, a choice she has no regrets about. 

It is a testimony to Anitha’s quest to further its popularity that she still is fit enough to play a sheet-anchor role for the State, which, incidentally, finished with a bronze in the senior Nationals held at Kozhikode in February. For a 30-year-old, she displays the enthusiastic exuberance of a rookie just getting introduced to the nuances of the sport, which is the talk of the town following India’s historic Asian Games bronze at Jakarta. 

Mention Asian Games, and she goes down memory lane. “My career reached a high when I was in the Indian team that participated in the 15th Asian Games at Doha in 2006. I earned the distinction of being the first girl from the Telugu-speaking States to make it to the Indian squad, which was debuting in the continental extravaganza. This first will always be linked to my name forever,” reminisces Anitha, who, having come the hard way, believes that nothing can be achieved until you struggle hard.

After beginning her career as a shooter and proving her mettle to the team prospects, she shifted to the lifter’s position, which even now she sticks to in ‘the interest of the team and as sought by our coach’. 

A veteran of two major internationals, an equal number of National Games, 16 nationals, one Federation Cup and two South Zone championships, Anitha remains thankful to her coaches and Federation officials like SR Premraj, Srinu, Dhahiya, Chandu, Dhanraj and Vickesh. She says, “Besides innumerable seniors who all encouraged me to always give my best shot and reposed confidence in my abilities to bring turnarounds to the team fortunes during crunch situations.”

Life has been a struggle for her as she does not belong to an affluent family, which could perhaps have kindled an interest in other popular disciplines. But with the spirit to do well in one sport or the other discipline like volleyball and its off-shoot Sepak Takraw were sort of almost inherent as they don’t require huge money.

On that count, belonging to a typical middle-class family, the choice was almost thrust on the teenager’s mindset. “My family members are my greatest strength. They have always backed my preference for sport. I feel blessed and owe all my accomplishments to them being my pillars of strength during my days of highs and lows,” says Anitha, whose middle-class roots firmed up her resolve.

A mother of two, she is presently the sports in-charge at Orchids -The International School, where, among other things, she trains youngsters in basketball, football, kho-kho, throwball and volleyball. However, her mission, she explains, is not in merely training the kids into the disciplines for which facilities have been put in place by the institution.

“Having been there and done that I can speak from experience that as a sport, Sepak Takraw can be a wonderful option for girls, especially. I have been pursuing my Principal and Sports Director to introduce this exciting discipline into the system. I am hopeful that Orchids -The International School will incorporate it in the next academic year,” points out the visibly delighted mentor, who idolises MC Mary Kom, who has demonstrated that motherhood cannot deter the aspirations of women even in a rugged sport like boxing. Her indomitable ‘never give up’ spirit keeps thousands of athletes like me to go on and on. She embodies this determination when she explains, “Now our target is the National Games, which is being hosted by Goa in March.”

Towards staying fit, she is into yoga and gym workouts. In parting she wonders why the government authorities do not provide employment to Sepak Takraw sportspersons, who bring glory from the biggest of extravaganza.“It would be a morale-booster to the athletes and their guardians, who will not hesitate to support their daughters aspiring for Sepak Takraw, if the government of the day comes to our rescue,” reasons Anitha Kancharla Polkam.