The extraordinary Haryana talent took home a gold medal from the 2018 Commonwealth Games two years later. It was shocking when Manu did not even make it to the finals in any of her three sports at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
An argument with coach Jaspal Rana, a champion shooter himself, resulted from a broken gun. She began to doubt her future due to the emotional toll. They were back together last year. For the guru and the shishya, redemption comes from the Paris Olympics.
Source: X.com
The 22-year-old claimed to have simply looked at Rana because it gave her courage, capping India’s 12-year quest for a podium place in the Olympic shooting competition. The coach answered, “There’s no need to speak; we communicate through eyes.” This is a unique occasion.
Manu’s achievement is a tale of perseverance, hard work, and sweat. It also pays homage to the dynamic “beti padhao, beti khilao” culture that promotes girls’ equal involvement. Forty percent of the Indian population in Paris consists of women. Although the coaches should be commended, the families of the rising stars should take the most of the credit for these touching tales. Their unwavering faith and steadfast support for their wards have given them the motivation to overcome all obstacles, including social, cultural, and financial ones.
Source: Firstpost
The people of Haryana are compelled to import girls from abroad to marry their sons since there aren’t enough females at home, and the girls of Haryana see the daily impunity of those they have accused of sexual harassment. Haryanvi society still normalises the murder of its girls in the name of “honour.”
Simply put, Manu’s narrative is not one of salvation. The task is to continue and expand on personal courage. Talent must be identified, developed, and an environment that supports potential realisation must be created via an efficient sports policy. The lesson of this narrative is to institutionalise the basic value of athletics in all spheres of life, not just education. Paris has made its point quite clear.
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