I was recently given the Bazaar Woman of the Year – Sports, and I was told I’d have just one minute to speak. I remember standing there, in a room full of powerful women (and a few men) - every story so inspiring, so strong — and I thought, what do I even say?
“I come from a small village near Kishtwar, Jammu - a place where dreams are limited, and where the idea that sports could become a profession or change a life simply didn’t exist.
As a child, I didn’t know the opportunities the world could offer. My exposure came through stories- and through people who believed in me. That belief lit a spark… that maybe I could do something too.
Many see supporting someone as a formality - a box to tick, a way to gain visibility or accolades. But true support is about being the wind beneath someone’s wings - not for credit, not for social media, but because it’s the right thing to do.
It’s not about I - it’s always about WE.
Real change begins when you give someone the power to dream - and back that dream unconditionally. It’s not about supporting success; it’s about believing in potential, even when the world doesn’t.
That’s what shaped my journey. And that’s what I’d tell you - when we choose to believe in each other, without conditions, that’s when the world begins to change.
So thank you - for this award, for this moment. And I truly hope that many more stories from rural India will rise and one day stand here too- because someone here chose to believe in them, unconditionally.”
And honestly, on stage, I stammered, I forgot a few lines… but my heart was full. And I hope many more stories will rise - simply because someone, somewhere, chose to believe.♥️