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Time of India

'Motherhood is a strength': How 'mere paas maa hai' legacy lives on in Indian sports

Koneru Humpy with her daughter, Ritu Phogat with her son NEW DELHI: In the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer movie "Deewar," there's a famous dialogue from the lead protagonist Vijay, who flaunts his wealth and asks his younger brother Ravi (Shashi Kapoor), a principled police officer: " Aaj mere paas building hai, property hai, bank balance hai, bangla hai, gaadi hai... tumhare paas kya hai? (Today I have buildings, property, a bank balance, a bungalow, a car... Operation Sindoor Armed forces maintaining strong vigil after Pak ceasefire breach: MEA Pakistan violates ceasefire: Loud explosions, sirens haunt J&K- what we know so far Behind the scenes of ceasefire: Calls from Pakistan, Washington what do you have?)" Ravi calmly replies, ' Mere paas maa hai. (I have my mother.)" Today is their day: Mother's Day. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! As India sees a new generation of athletes rise -- like Gukesh Dommaraju, R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi in chess, or Anahat Singh and Maaya Rajeshwaran in racquet sports -- mothers remain the constant support. Whether it's travelling with them or handling daily ifs and buts, it's often the mothers who stand silently behind their children's success, juggling different roles of caretaker, motivator, and manager. While these youngsters sweat it out on court or board, a mother's watchful eyes on the sidelines feel the heat. But have you ever paused to think: what's it like on that side of the spectrum? "I always feel motherhood is a strength," says Koneru Humpy during an exclusive chat with . "It's quite a challenging job: balancing my career and motherhood. I miss my daughter Ahana a lot, especially during long tournaments that last 15–20 days. Thankfully, she's very close to her grandparents and enjoys staying with them, so I'm fortunate she gets the love and attention she needs," she says. Humpy became a mother in 2017. After taking a break, she returned to competitive chess in 2018. "When I came back to chess, practice and preparation were there, but I had become a much tougher person. Raising a child meant sleepless nights. I learned I'm even capable of doing the work without having proper food," she recalls. 'Earlier, even small issues would affect my performance. But motherhood changed that. It made me mentally stronger.' She smiles, remembering her comeback: 'I still recall winning the 2019 World Rapid Championship, even though I hadn't played for nearly a year and a half.' Humpy, who is standing for the many mothers who carry ambition in one hand and love in the other, says. "It cannot make you sidestep your profession." Meanwhile, India's Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Ritu Phogat echoes Koneru's sentiments when it comes to balancing motherhood with a demanding athletic career, where support becomes paramount. "There are definitely challenges. They say when a woman becomes a mother, it's like she is reborn, and it's true. Getting your body back into athletic form is the toughest part. Every mother faces such challenges. I also faced them: nursing the baby, not getting enough sleep at night ... but when you have a supportive family and husband, it helps a lot," says MMA fighter Ritu Phogat Ritu, 31, gave birth to a baby boy in April 2024. Now eyeing a comeback ahead of MMA's debut at the 2026 Asian Games, Ritu accepts that motherhood is not all about toil as she penned on her son's first birthday: "It's been 365 days of love, laughter, and endless joy. Happy 1st birthday, my sweet prince! A year ago, you came into our lives and filled it with endless sunshine." READ ALSO: Indian farm girl who picked up gun at 13, now recovering Olympic heartbreak: The Maheshwari Chauhan story