Jan 1
Meet Our College’s National Ranked Badminton Star
I met Agrima Rishi in Apara Ma’am’s lecture
I first met Agrima Rishi in my college English class at MCM. She appeared like a regular 18 year old, with her dark green dress and friendly smile. But my whole perception of her changed a few minutes later when our professor called Agrima to share her story in front of the class.
Agrima was a three time national ranked badminton player. She had won several gold and silver medals at state championships. She hailed from a small town in Punjab: Sunam.
She had no family background in sports. The community in Sunam had criticized her father for devoting his daughters to sport, but they had pushed back against societal gender bias as Agrima worked to excel over the years.
In recent times, Agrima had undergone multiple feet surgeries due to on court injury. She was required to shift her focus to college education. But she still stood before us now, proudly telling her story. She spoke about her future dream to open a badminton academy.
She did not seem to pity herself or feel small in any way. The strength of Agrima’s persona amazed me.
‘As a teenager, it was common for me to wake up at 4:30,’ said Agrima. ‘We had to travel 60 kilometeres outside of Sunam everyday to practise in the nearby city, Malerkotla. Papa accompanied me every morning before school. As I got older, I started travelling alone on buses.’
‘As a twelve to thirteen year old back then, talking to strangers and finding my way around alone definitely toughened me up. It taught me how to deal with the real world,’ she said.
Agrima believes that sports strengthens the persona.
‘Everyone should play a sport for one important reason: Sport teaches you how to tackle every kind of circumstance. It makes you confident.’
‘Whether you win or lose, in whichever situation you find yourself, the game teaches you how to face it head on. All these experiences in my girlhood made me stronger.’
Agrima shared some anecdotes. ‘We used to face match delays. There were times I found myself competing at the nationals at two in the morning. I saw my opponents get injured before my eyes and learnt how to care for them.’
‘When I experienced all those situations, I started to believe that external circumstance does not matter. I can handle anything that comes my way.’
Her father has been the keystone of Agrima’s journey. ‘He was with me 24/7,’ she said. ‘He would return from teaching and then take his tea in the car itself so that he could drop me to practice on time. Papa was with me for every tournament. When I got home late and Mama was tired or asleep, Papa has even cooked for me and fed me, washed my clothes, and taken care of me in every way.’
‘He told me, that if people did not treat me equally, I must make myself be treated equally. This has stayed in me. My parents are the ones I feel most grateful for in my life.’
Agrima’s perspectives on self dependence were truly remarkable.
‘All of us give outside factors too much control over our happiness. No one person or object can take the lifelong responsibility of our happiness,’ she said. ‘Whenever we complain or blame something else for our whole life, we lose.’
‘I have noticed that losers always give cautionary advice and tell us about what to avoid. But winners always tell us what to do and give directions. They are optimistic.’
Agrima encourages her younger siblings in the same way. ‘I always tell them that their greatest strength is them. It’s the same with economic independence. All parents have enough money for a child’s needs, but not for all his desires.’
I asked Agrima for a few words of advice for young people coming from less privileged circumstances who want to make their dreams come true.
‘This is what I believe. Everything is temporary, but you remain with yourself all your life. You were not born to please others. Self love is deeply important. Your life is your greatest responsibility.’
Agrima’s story made me see the truth in this age old wisdom. Nothing but a lack of faith can leave us bound to our circumstance. Our will can write our story.
Our self belief is not rooted in any outer possession or person — it emerges from within.
This article first appeared in the Indian Express.
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