Sakshi Malik (second from left) and Satyawart Kadian (second from right) alongwith Neena Dutta, principal of St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Dimapur and others at Hotel Acacia on October 6.
Morung Express News
Dimapur | October 6
Breaking gender stereotype and unflinching governmental support for promoting sports and sportspersons was a point emphasised by Olympic freestyle wrestling bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, who is on her maiden visit to Nagaland.
Accompanied by her husband, Satyawart Kadian, also a Commonwealth Games silver winner in freestyle wrestling and Arjuna awardee, Malik is in Dimapur to attend the 25th anniversary of the founding of St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Dimapur. The school will be celebrating its annual day 2017 commemorating the silver jubilee on October 7 at the Latika complex.
On the eve of the programme, the couple interacted with the media at Hotel Acacia.
Also brand ambassador of the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign in Haryana, Malik said that while she would want to promote wrestling as a sport, she equally wishes for women taking up the sport without hesitation societal barriers notwithstanding.
"I started wrestling when I was 12 and there were only a few girls, so I was trained with boys mostly," said Malik. However, she said that it did not prevent her from following her passion.
Her achievements are certainly making a mark as according to her, more girls are taking to wrestling – a predominantly male-centric sport. “Haryana, which is considered as a male centric society is witnessing change in mindset with more women taking to wrestling and bringing medals for the state which makes it easy for the elders to be flexible and the government accommodating”.
On the country’s obsession with cricketing achievements, she said, “It certainly is frustrating at times witnessing the greater prominence that is given to cricket, while other sportspersons who have worked equally hard and performed are relegated to the back-burner.”
To this, Kadian added that there is a tendency of sportspersons getting recognised and supported only after winning at a major event. “Sportspersons get support only after winning. If only sportspersons (irrespective of the sport discipline) receive as much support for training and competing,” Kadian said while referring to the infrastructural and financial appropriated to sports in other countries. Despite, both felt that the attitude towards sports is changing for the better in the country.
With regard to Nagaland, Malik said that the sport in Nagaland requires greater exposure. And to that end, she said that the state government ought to provide the facilities.
