From a rural village in eastern India to an international sevens player, 23 year old Sweta Shahi is the first woman from Bihar to represent her country at Asia Rugby events. Her journey is nothing short of inspiring and is a valuable lesson in doing what it takes to achieve your dream.

In an exclusive interview with SPOGO, Sweta Shahi speaks about her journey so far, her challenges and inspirations, the role of her father, proudest achievements, being an inspiration for girls, training during the lockdown and her ultimate goal.

Q 1) When did you start playing rugby and what motivated you to take up the sport professionally?

Ans: I was first introduced to rugby in 2013 when I saw a movie featuring a rugby match and I really liked the sport. I was involved in athletics before that and had no knowledge about rugby but was then introduced to the Secretary of my State (Bihar) Rugby Association who thought I could excel in the sport. I faced a lot of pressure in my village because rugby is a contact sport and women traditionally have not played it where I come from. Despite that, I continued following my passion and soon represented the Indian team. In 2018, I was selected as one of World Rugby’s 15 Unstoppables which featured 15 inspiring women from different countries.

Q 2) What were the challenges that you faced in becoming a professional rugby player? Who were your inspirations?

Ans: Every athlete faces difficulties and challenges to pursue their dreams and I faced social, economic and family issues. In our village, we have large families and members from my paternal and maternal families consider females to have a limited role, especially with regards to participation in sports. It’s very difficult to break those boundaries and the only way I could pursue my passion was by listening to my parents and nobody else which greatly benefitted me. I do have social pressure and I’m regularly criticized about playing sports because I’m a woman but it does not bother me. I belong to a family of farmers and everyone is aware of the situation they are faced with. In spite of the economical problems, my father always encouraged me and tried to provide the means to pursue my interest in rugby.

Q 3) How important of a role did your father play in the player you are today?

Ans: My father has played the most important role and he has always supported me. When I started playing rugby, nobody was aware of it but he would take me to the ground so that I could practice. He would wait until my practice was over and as there was no team or coaches, I would watch Youtube videos with him and practice accordingly. If I would make mistakes, he would bring it to my attention and help me rectify them. Youtube has also played a big part in helping me become the player I am today.

Q 4) What achievement are you proudest of in your rugby career so far?

Ans: The proudest moment for me was when I was selected for the Indian team. However, my goal is that rugby players get recognition from the Government for their achievements in the sport and they are supported economically so that it’s a viable career option. This is especially relevant for women in rugby as without recognition and support, it will be unsustainable to continue this for a long term.

Q 5) How do you feel about being an inspiration for girls to take up sports? What would you like to say to them?

Ans: For any career that you want to pursue, it’s very important to show your potential whether it’s sports or studies. People are not aware of our capabilities, we have to show them to get support and encouragement from others. When I proved my capability, I got encouragement which helped me reach the position where I’m in, in spite of coming from a small, remote village. If you start looking for support without using your own resources and capabilities, it won’t work. If you want to pursue your goal, you should seek encouragement from your family and not bother about the comments and criticism from the society at large. When you achieve your goal, the same society which criticised you will praise you, which will be a further source of support and encouragement to achieve more.

I’m happy that perspectives of females are changing and they are getting exposed to wider possibilities in sports. When I’m invited by schools to talk about sports, I meet many girls who are keenly interested in pursuing rugby. They get inspired and share their dreams with their parents. Their parents contact me and seek guidance on how to help their daughters realize their dreams.

Q 6) How have you been training during the lockdown?

Ans: During the lockdown, I have not been able to focus on rugby but I have been concentrating on maintaining my physical fitness. I use Google Meet to communicate with the other girls and help them maintain physical fitness. The active playing career for an athlete is very limited and the lockdown is stopping many from actively playing sports which is ending many careers. I feel really bad about it.

During the lockdown, schools and educational institutes are operating online without interruptions and students can concentrate on their careers. However, this is the worst period for sports as we cannot play. For example: if an active playing career is 10-12 years, losing two years is a big loss and it's very demotivating.

Q 7) What is your ultimate aspiration as a rugby player? Do you think that goal can realistically be achieved?

Ans: For any athlete, playing the Olympics is the ultimate dream. To achieve that, the entire team will have to work collectively to achieve that goal. I am 100% committed to achieve this objective and have complete faith in the team that we can reach the Olympics. Rugby India is also working very hard to promote the sport and I’m optimistic we will achieve this goal.