NEW DELHI: Despite all odds against her dreams, Delhi Police officer Lalita Madhwal won six medals (five gold and one silver) in track and field events at the World Police and Fire Games, 2022 at Rotterdam in Netherlands.
Lalita, who is currently employed as an assistant sub-inspector at the security division of Rashtrapati Bhavan, claimed that her life’s ambitions did not turn out as she had anticipated. She said that she developed an interest in athletics at the age of twelve, after which a local coach trained her further.
The track of Thyagraj Stadium became her home. She said her plans for a career jolted after the death of her elder brother in 1995. “After the death of my brother, our financial situation worsened. So, I started preparing for government jobs." recalled Lalita.
She joined the typing and stenographer coaching and after consistent efforts, her hard work paid off and she joined the Delhi Police in 2000, which reignited her enthusiasm for athletics. During the training, she was declared as the “Best Commando” in her batch.
From that day on, she continued to improve her skills. Lalita has been participating in renowned national and international running events such as the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, Tata Mumbai Marathon, and many others.
In between all this, she got pregnant which became a hurdle in her career. “After becoming a mother, I gained weight, which affected my running. If you compare my photograph from that time with the present one, you won’t be able to recognise me,” said Lalita. She added, “I often felt dejected after seeing myself in the mirror.” but that was not the “ point-of-no-return” of her life.
Rajendra Singh Madwal, her husband, was a source of inspiration for her. Lalita said that her husband helped her to become fit again. When asked about her future, she said, “At this age, the dream of participating in Olympics seems impossible. Though, I will be happy to coach at the Mission Olympics.”