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Five tribal girls gear up for Rugby at Paris World Games

Updated on: 05 July,2017 03:20 PM IST  |  Mumbai
Sundari Iyer |

Five tribal girls - Sandhya, Suman, Punam, Lachmi and Rima gear up for Paris World Games, their first international tournament with India U-18s

Five tribal girls gear up for Rugby at Paris World Games

(Left to right) India U-18 rugby players Suman Oraon, Laxmi Oraon, Rima Oraon, Punam Oraon and Sandhya Rai at the Mumbai Press Club yesterday ahead of their departure to France for the Paris World Games. Pic/Suresh Karkera
(Left to right) India U-18 rugby players Suman Oraon, Laxmi Oraon, Rima Oraon, Punam Oraon and Sandhya Rai at the Mumbai Press Club yesterday ahead of their departure to France for the Paris World Games. Pic/Suresh Karkera


The journey of India U-18 rugby player Sandhya Rai from West Bengal's rural belt, where flesh trade flourishes, to the sporting turf is an astounding one. Rai is one of 12 members of the Societe Generale India U-18 rugby team that will travel to France to participate in the Paris World Games to be held from July 7 to 13.

Sandhya (16), who hails from Saraswatipur village in the Siliguri district of West Bengal, said that the sport has changed her life. She is one of five girls — Suman Oraon (17), Punam Oraon (17), Lachmi Oraon (17) and Rima Oraon (17)  who hails from the tribal belt, and who are on the verge of doing something that even the men folk of their village haven't done so far — traveling abroad. Sandhya spoke of the initial resistance they faced from family and friends when they decided to play rugby.

"It's been four years now that we are training under the Khelo Rugby program. Initially, we didn't tell our parents about it and later, when they found out that we are playing a sport which they didn't even understand, they were against the idea. They would say things like 'yeh log tumko baahar le jaakar shehar mein bech denge (these people will take you to the city and sell you off)'," Sandhya, a class XII student of the Gajoldoba High School, told mid-day yesterday.

The girls were often ridiculed too. "The very same villagers who used to make fun of us when we returned after winning tournaments and said that we had purchased our trophies and medals, today take pride in our achievements," added Sandhya.

A trip to Paris is incomplete without a visit to the world famous Eiffel Tower, and the girls are very excited to see it. "We have heard so much about Paris being beautiful, and about the huge Eiffel Tower. We can't wait take a picture of the Tower," said Lachmi, who is also eagerly waiting to board the first flight of her life. "It's the first time the five of us will be flying… we can't wait to experience that too," said Lachmi.



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