The Barefoot Dreams
Imagine a remote, community-led initiative with the power to cultivate India's fastest athletes, all born from a shared dream, unshod and resolute.
Deep within the lush confines of Karnataka's jungle, numerous communities struggle for recognition and voice. It was amidst these whispers of forgotten dreams that I first encountered the spark of potential. When we proposed our sports program to the community, their leader posed a poignant question: why couldn't we implement it right here in the community itself ? Memories resurfaced of the government's Special Area Games in the 1980s, which identified talent from these very communities and took them into the bustling cities of Bangalore and Mumbai. While these athletes adorned the national and international stage representing across sports like athletics, boxing, football, their journey was fraught with challenges—bullying, discrimination, and a jarring clash with urban life.
This query lingered: could a hyperlocal, community-driven sports model thrive? Our search for answers led us to Iten, Kenya—a town boasting more world champions and Olympians than all of India, with a mere 50,000 population. The footpaths were replaced by running tracks and the knowledge of sprinting was deeply embedded in the community that 25% of their population were athletes contributing to 20% of their economy. Inspired, we sought to bring this system back home.
Let me take you to our inaugural barefoot league—a diverse crew of children, oblivious of the Nikes and Pumas, fixated only on the distant finish line. Little did they know, this humble snapshot would capture the genesis of India's future athletic stars in making.
One such girl is Nayana, a petite barefoot sprite with two perfectly made ponytails. She initially joined our village league for the meager prize money but, three years later, she became the fastest junior athlete of India, donned the Indian colors and clinched her maiden international medal at the 20th Asian U20 Athletics Championships in South Korea. Nayana's journey from village girl to community icon, the first to graduate from her village, resonates as a testament to resilience and determination.
When I visited her home, it was a mud thatched cramped space which was a home to 7 people. But, when 3 years later she entered her house in the Indian jersey, her eyes had the pride that from here she has the power to write her own story.
Kamala Siddi, the most prominent siddi athlete whose bronze medal and record-breaking hurdles performance in the 1989 Special Area Games set the stage for her Olympic dreams but destiny had other plans. Decades later, her daughter Nimeksha stands poised to inherit her mother's legacy, eager to etch her own mark in history. She is currently one of the fastest youth athletes of India and dreams to represent India at the Olympics.
Over 35 athletes who are ready to bring glory to the country if nurtured well. Our program which started from a simple barefoot league in the community ground developed into a junior program.
Now, we have launched our elite program in partnership with Altis, an institution based in the USA that trains Olympians. They have the experience of training 50+ Olympians so far. Nayana and Nimeksha are both gearing up to move to the states for the next phase of their training. Altis has not just selected our athletes to train with them, which is happening for the first time in India, but they are also supporting them with a 60% scholarship. Our athletes will train and pursue their education in sports science in the states. As the program progresses, 15 more athletes will join them to graduate and pursue their training in the US. A community with no graduates will soon have highly skilled students in sports in India who will lead the way with sports as a socio-economic tool for the country. Some of them will be at the Olympics, the ultimate Indian dream, but more so all of them will be flag bearers of change. It's a path for social interaction within neglected communities, a pathway to socio-economic empowerment, and a beacon of hope for the forgotten. If you want to support us in building this elite program, please reach out to us at anuradha.s@bridgesofsports.org
This, dear reader, is the heartbeat of our Barefoot Dreams—a testament to the spirit of India's unsung heroes, poised to rewrite the narrative of our nation's athletic prowess.
About the Author
Anuradha Sharma is the chief Evangelist at Bridges of Sports Foundation. She has a background in law and journalism and is currently involved in building a hyperlocal sports ecosystem around remote communities of India.
Reach out at Anuradha.s@bridgesofsports.org
