This time, celebrate International Women’s Day with sports divas

While we all should be celebrating woman and womanhood every day, we all do it wholeheartedly on 8th March—the date which is marked as the International Women’s Day in all calendars. Maybe, it is just our way of reminding ourselves again and again that every home, every heart, every feeling, every moment of happiness is incomplete without her presence. Saying that every field is incomplete without ‘her’ won’t be an exaggeration.

So, as the Women’s Day nears, we decided to celebrate this special occasion with Nike’s sports divas, and share their bleed blue stories with you. Here we go!

1. Anisha Padukone, Golfer

The 24-year-old golfer, and younger sister of Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone, is working hard to bag an Olympic gold medal. Hailing from a family of sports persons, Anisha chose sports as her career when she was only ten. She says, ““I decided I was going to be an athlete when I was ten. And after playing multiple sports at various levels, I knew golf was the one I would play for the rest of my life. It made me want to prove myself today and then go out and prove myself tomorrow, the next day and the next. That is how I #bleedblue.”
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2. Jyoti Ann Burrett, Footballer

This Delhi girl holds a Masters degree in Sports and Health Science from England’s University of Exeter, but the 25-year-old chose to represent India in football over a lucrative corporate career. Her reasons were simple: the feeling of pride and joy of representing India. “I remember clearly when I scored my first goal for India. That was a moment of personal triumph. Triumph and winning have taught me to enjoy the high, but also that it is temporary. It’s easy to reach a high and then vanish. Being consistent is what’s hard. That is how I’m going to #bleedblue,” she revealed.
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3. Nengneihat Kom, Boxer

The 19-year-old boxer is a product of five-time world champion MC Mary Kom's academy in Manipur. This young woman has shown great potential and hopes to follow in the footsteps of her idol and coach and believes there are no shortcuts to success. She says, “There are no shortcuts. You have to work very hard to succeed. I give my 100% for my country whenever I am in the ring. The same as what our cricketers do when they’re on the field. The opportunities are immense. Sport can give you the chance to represent your country internationally and make your country proud. The fact that I am representing my country drives me. Representing my country - that’s what #BleedBlue means to me.”
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4. Shubhlakshmi Sharma, Cricketer

Born in 1989, Shubhlakshmi Sharma is an all-rounder Indian cicketer. This right-hand batswoman and right-arm medium bowler love for cricket has no bounds and says, “When I wear the India national team jersey, I feel happy. I step onto the pitch feeling proud. There is pressure, but when I take the ball and begin bowling, it all just disappears. That is how I #bleedblue.”

5.Dhanu Saini, Dentist & Sportswoman

A student of Mahatma Gandhi Dental College and Hospital, Jaipur, Dhanu is a gymnast and a volley ball player. While she is someone who corrects people’s smiles, her own face lightens up only when she indulges into her favourite sports. She says, “I’ve been a gymnast and volley ball player since I was a child. Being a female athlete all through my life has always had its share of struggles and challenges, but sport taught me to deal with them, on and off the field. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Sport has given me the strength to face it all. That’s how I #bleedblue.”