CHENNAI: In sports, awards often hold more significance than just recognition and acknowledgement of the utmost effort the athlete has put in. It has the intangible power to instil hope and make the sportsperson believe in the process and strive harder for excellence.
With cricket continuing to dominate the country’s ecosystem, anyone outside of the discipline receiving a national award is an event worthy of great attention. So, when the prestigious Padma Shri was conferred upon Anitha Pauldurai last week, there was much more reason to cheer -- for India’s most experienced women’s basketball player and the sport itself.
For she too believes that awards are important for the sport the thrive. A resident of Chennai, Anitha has represented the country for 18 years (2000-2017) and is a former India captain. She is also a mother of two kids, aged six and four, and is the only Indian woman to have played nine Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) championships. In a post-award chat, the 35-yearold opens up about her illustrious career, challenges she faced, the importance of recognition and more.
Excerpts follow:
How important is this recognition for the sport, do you think?
I’m happy to have been conferred with Padma Shri and that there is recognition for an individual player in a team sport. The award will help the sport to grow. The current generation will take up basketball more confidently. Even my juniors have asked in the past, “Akka, you played for the country for so many years. But still, there is no recognition. How do I follow the sport?” Awards will take the sport to the next level, especially in Tamil Nadu.
Playing the sport for 18 years could not have been easy. What does it take to keep at it?
I’ve not attended many family gatherings or weddings of my relatives because I started at a young age. You need to sacrifice family time to achieve big. After my wedding, I was back in the Indian camp. My husband and in-laws were very understanding. But, after having a kid (in 2014), it became more strenuous.
What were the challenges after pregnancy?
Responsibility doubled up. I had to take care of the toddler, train in the mornings and evenings, and in between, we have to do the household chores as well. During that phase, I was also under stress. My body wasn’t in shape. Basketball is a demanding game. It is never easy to get back to full fitness after pregnancy. But, I was determined. I drew inspiration from MC Mary Kom, who won many Boxing World Championships after giving birth.
How long did it take to get back to your best?
One month after the delivery, I started training. That was one of the toughest phases because I needed to lose weight, feed the baby, make sure I consumed more healthy food. It was because of my determination that I was able to achieve it. I got picked for the Indian camp eight months after delivery, and I played at the Asian Championships.
How much has support from your family helped you thrive in your career?
If you prioritise your career after childbirth, the society starts talking ill about you. ‘See how cold-hearted she is to leave her kid at home and play,’ is what they said. Even in my basketball fraternity, people have spoken like this. But, because I had my family support, I never regretted being away from my child. It’s important to strike a balance between work and personal life. That’s when you can say you have achieved. I grew up in a society where the discouragement was more than the motivation I received. People doubted my abilities because I suffered many injuries. I decided not to react to such things. I knew my end goal, and I worked towards it.
Do you think girls have a financially secure future if they take up basketball today?
I got a job in Railways at the age of 18. But, many of my friends who played with me did not land a job. They also started playing basketball with a future in mind. If other departments like Income Tax, and banks had provided more opportunities back then, they’d have pursued a career in it. Things are changing now. Tamil Nadu increased the sports quota for government jobs to three per cent in 2019. But, there is still a long way to go. The reason cited by many departments for not giving enough opportunities is that girls drop out of team sport in five years. Sports like volleyball, basketball, and football need 12 members, and players need to have a secure life to continue playing. Only if more people offer them jobs, the game will develop.
Moving forward, what do you think should change?
The sporting ecosystem will change only if there’s a professional league in place. We witnessed that not only with cricket but also with kabaddi. Corporates and federations should invest more. At 18, I got a job with a small stipend. If I had not had the money for food, I wouldn’t have concentrated on the game. This scenario should change in all team sports. If you invest more, more people will compete and, eventually, the standard will increase. You will see the results if you invest more.
What are your plans for the future?
With two kids, I have not committed myself to play for India. I was hoping to play the nationals for Railways last year. Now that I have won the award, I will get into coaching full-time soon. I coached the U-16 national team in 2017. It needs a different skill set, which is why I will start with something on a small scale.