Do Khilaadi: Meera aur Rajnandini

Young girls living in Uttar Pradesh are using sports to exercise their agency and assert control over life choices. In the final episode of our podcast series ‘Sapnon ka Haq’, join us as we travel to Uttar Pradesh to meet two talented and young sportswomen. Meera, 18, an aspiring international cricketer, and Rajnandini, 21, a state-level athlete, who have fought against all odds to fulfil thir dream of playing sports. Being relentless in the pursuit of their dreams, Meera and Rajnandini have become inspirations for many girls in their villages. Apart from being a career prospect, sports has also proven to be an effective vehicle of social change for the communities to which these girls belong. These girls have been able to reverse unfavourable gender stereotypes through the help of organisations like PANI (People’s Action for National Integration) that empower these girls by giving them the required training to enhance their skills. We also speak to Sima Verma, member of PANI’s managerial team, to understand how sports engenders changes in people’s attitude and promotes gender equality.