None of us are strangers to success stories that inspire us to quit our days of laziness and get our asses to work. While Khushbir’s Kaur’s story falls in the same category, it will also bring tears to your eyes.
When Khushbir was just 6, she lost her father and was brought up by her mother, who fought like a warrior to raise her 5 kids. After being left alone by her in-laws, her mother had to take up jobs like sewing clothes and selling milk to run the family. In an interview with TOI, she said,
“During the rainy season, my daughters, son, the cows and I, all lived in a single room, stashed together.”
Not only her mother but Khushbir also had her fair amount of struggles. At the 2008 Junior Nationals, Khushbir ran barefoot because she could not afford walking shoes. However, that could not stop the incredible talent to shine on the big stage. In the 2014 Asian Games at Incheon, she became the first female athlete from India to win a silver in a race-walking event at the tournament. Her mother added,
“Now ask anyone in the village that you have to go to DSP Khushbir’s house, all of them will tell you where to go.”
After Khushbir clinched the medal at the Asian games, her family finally got a cemented roof on top of them. Clocking an impressive 1:33:58, Khushbir became the only Indian woman race walker to qualify for the Rio Olympics in 2016. She broke the previous qualification time record of 1:35:00 in the process. Her mother is definitely a proud woman.
“My daughters are my pride. My message to anyone who in female infanticide is: Remember, the girls saved nation’s pride in the last Olympics. The current government is giving a lot of important to sports, which is very good and we are seeing a marked improvement.”
Khushbir, who also has the Arjuna Award in her bag, will now represent India at the Asian Games 2018. We wish the woman with an evident prowess all the best for the big stage.