Latest news with #ASMITA
Mint
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Golden Girls of Bihar: Rugby glory sparked by dreams, grit & ASMITA League at Khelo India Youth Games
The Patliputra Sports Complex ground was painted in celebration on Friday as Bihar's girls' rugby team scripted history, clinching a dominant 22-0 win over Odisha to bag the gold medal in the sport's debut at the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025. Among the heroes of the day were three gritty young women — Anshu Kumari, Saloni Kumari, and Alpana Kumari — who not only powered their side to victory but also embodied a larger narrative of resilience, empowerment, and hope. For Bihar, this wasn't just another medal — it was a statement. A statement that dreams born in the narrow lanes of Supaul, Patna, and Nalanda can shine bright on the national stage. A statement that the ASMITA women's League — a Khelo India initiative aimed at talent development and nurturing young girls through completion and incentive — is bearing fruit in powerful, transformative ways. Ten out of the 12 players in Bihar's gold-winning squad have come through the ranks of the ASMITA League (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action), a grassroots movement that has redefined the scope of women's sports in Bihar over the past three years. For many of these girls, rugby was once an unfamiliar sport — today, it is their identity. 'None of us had even heard of rugby just a few years ago. We had been in some other sports and various circumstances led us to rugby. And then the introduction of the ASMITA League brought the sport to our districts, our schools, our lives,' said the trio, moments after the win. 'The league gave us a platform, a purpose, and confidence. That's how this journey started.' Anshu, a Class 12 student whose father runs a modest sweet shop, burst onto the scene by winning a bronze at the U-14 nationals in Pune. Saloni, daughter of a street vendor, now proudly recalls captaining India's U-18 side at the Asian Rugby Championship in Malaysia. And Alpana — who overcame multiple injuries, including a fractured collarbone and a serious road accident — stood tall, showcasing why grit beats the odds. 'This gold is not just ours, it's for every girl who dares to dream beyond boundaries. It's for every parent who supported us, and every coach who believed in us,' they added, their eyes sparkling with pride. The Khelo India Youth Games, too, have become a pivotal launchpad for young athletes. For many like Anshu, Saloni, and Alpana, a KIYG medal isn't just an achievement, it's a possible path to national camps, job opportunities, and long-term recognition. 'We've seen seniors get government jobs after winning medals. That's the dream. And we're hopeful that this gold will take us closer to that goal,' said the girls, as they joined the celebrations for the boys' rugby team, who also defeated Odisha to claim gold later in the evening. On a historic day for Bihar rugby, amid cheers, tears, and high-fives, the message was loud and clear — This is just the beginning. With ASMITA laying the foundation, and KIYG giving them a stage, Bihar's daughters are sprinting towards a future full of promise.
Hans India
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Golden Girls of Bihar: Rugby glory sparked by dreams, grit and ASMITA League
Patna: The Patliputra Sports Complex ground was painted in celebration on Friday as Bihar's girls' rugby team scripted history, clinching a dominant 22-0 win over Odisha to bag the gold medal in the sport's debut at the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025. Among the heroes of the day were three gritty young women - Anshu Kumari, Saloni Kumari and Alpana Kumari - who not only powered their side to victory but also embodied a larger narrative of resilience, empowerment and hope. For Bihar, this wasn't just another medal - it was a statement. A statement that dreams born in the narrow lanes of Supaul, Patna and Nalanda can shine bright on the national stage. A statement that the ASMITA women's League - a Khelo India initiative aimed at talent development and nurturing young girls through competition and incentive - is bearing fruit in powerful, transformative ways. Ten out of the 12 players in Bihar's gold-winning squad have come through the ranks of the ASMITA League (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action), a grassroots movement that has redefined the scope of women's sports in Bihar over the past three years. For many of these girls, rugby was once an unfamiliar sport - today, it is their identity. 'None of us had even heard of rugby just a few years ago. We had been in some other sports and various circumstances led us to rugby. And then the introduction of the ASMITA League brought the sport to our districts, our schools, our lives,' said the trio, moments after the win. 'The league gave us a platform, a purpose, and confidence. That's how this journey started.' Anshu, a Class 12 student whose father runs a modest sweet shop, burst onto the scene by winning a bronze at the U-14 nationals in Pune. Saloni, daughter of a street vendor, now proudly recalls captaining India's U-18 side at the Asian Rugby Championship in Malaysia. And Alpana - who overcame multiple injuries, including a fractured collarbone and a serious road accident - stood tall, showcasing why grit beats the odds. 'This gold is not just ours, it's for every girl who dares to dream beyond boundaries. It's for every parent who supported us, and every coach who believed in us,' they added, their eyes sparkling with pride. The Khelo India Youth Games, too, have become a pivotal launchpad for young athletes. For many like Anshu, Saloni and Alpana, a KIYG medal isn't just an achievement, it's a possible path to national camps, job opportunities and long-term recognition. 'We've seen seniors get government jobs after winning medals. That's the dream. And we're hopeful that this gold will take us closer to that goal,' said the girls, as they joined the celebrations for the boys' rugby team, who also defeated Odisha to claim gold later in the evening. On a historic day for Bihar rugby, amid cheers, tears, and high-fives, the message was loud and clear - this is just the beginning. With ASMITA laying the foundation and KIYG giving them a stage, Bihar's daughters are sprinting towards a future full of promise.
Hans India
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Mizoram in focus as future women hockey stars identified at ASMITA sub-junior league
New Delhi: Five under-16 girls from Mizoram are among the 15 selected by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to be inducted into the various National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs) for hockey. Seen as the building blocks for women's hockey in India, the girls have been chosen after the conclusion of the 2024-25 season of the ASMITA league matches. The 15 selected for training at the NCOEs include three players from Haryana and two each from Jharkhand and Odisha. The presence of girls from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh reflects the passion for hockey in India. Piyush Dubey, the High-Performance Director for hockey at SAI and Khelo India, said these girls have been chosen keeping the 2032 and 2026 Olympics in mind. 'We have to think of a pathway, and these girls have the potential to make it to the senior national team. In the last three to four years, ASMITA has provided the opportunity to see so many players in action, and this is a welcome change in our hockey ecosystem. This did not exist before,' said Dubey. He added that many players like Sunelita Toppo, Sujata Kujur, and Sakshi Rana have emerged from this hockey league and are now representing India. Six teams featuring 120 under-16 players took part in the ASMITA sub-junior hockey league's final phase. A total of 17 matches were played in the Rs 15.5 lakh prize money event. SAI Shakti won the team championship for the third consecutive time, beating Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy 2-1 in the final match at Delhi's National Stadium. Odisha's Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre finished third, while Pritam Siwach Hockey Academy ended fourth. The following players have been selected: For NCOE Lucknow - 1. Shweta Upadhyay (Haryana), 2. Rashi (Haryana). For NCOE Mumbai – 3. Laldinpuii (Mizoram), 4. Binita Karketta (Jharkhand), 5. Suneli Burh (Odisha) 6. Salmi Jadia (Odisha). For NCOE Delhi – 7. Tulashi (Andhra Pradesh), 8. Pearlin (Karnataka), 9. Vanlarinluii (Mizoram), 10. Lalnulfelli (Mizoram). For NCOE Sonipat – 11. Diya (Haryana). For NCOE Bhopal - 12. Aradhana Rajbhar (Uttar Pradesh), 13. Shivani Khalko (Jharkhand). For NCOE Kolkata – 14. Loicy Lalthanpuii (Mizoram), 15. Lalfakwami (Mizoram). Mizoram's ascendency in women's hockey has been quite startling. For the first time in its history, the tiny northeastern state, known for its footballers and boxers, won a bronze medal in the senior national women's hockey championship in Panchkula, Haryana. Dubey says that Mizoram girls have been showing improvement in the last five-six years and credit goes to the coaches who are working at the SAI centre in Thenzawl. Lalrothuami, a 2009 junior India player who turned coach in 2011, said young girls are taking an interest in hockey and some 40 are training at the SAI Centre. Mizoram have found a unique way to attract youngsters to play hockey. The image and profile of current Indian women's team player and Tokyo Olympian Lalremsiami Hmarzote have been used in advertisements and social media to attract girls to participate in trials. 'The response has been fairly good from the villages. Two of our girls, Lalthantluangi and Lalrinpuii, are ASMITA products and are junior Indian team members. They are a great advertisement for us, and we are very happy that five Mizoram girls have been selected for training at NCOEs,' said Lalrothuami. 'Our players need more competitive exposure and a better training ecosystem. In terms of skills, all players are more or less equal, but Mizo girls are stronger and have the stamina. We hope they will utilize the facilities at NCOEs well,' the coach added. Selection at NCOEs does not guarantee a long-term membership. There are two assessments every year, and players are judged on the three basic parameters: physical strength, sports science tests, and, of course, skills. Players who do not meet certain standards are deselected. This ensures quality control and the opportunity for more players with merit.
