Moumita had to abandon her first love, cricket, due to lack of financial backing. As she delved deeper into the world of cricket, she came to realise that the sport was beyond her financial means. She re-routed to running, taking into account it required minimal gear, typically had no ongoing costs and accessibility wasn’t a stumbling block.
As we discussed Moumita’s early days in athletics, she recalled how she once ran up to a coach at a running ground in Jirat and asked him to train and get her into athletics. With a family income of ₹6000-7000 a month, Moumita's father could barely make ends meet for the family of four. With scant support from any front, Moumita, quite early in her life embarked on a journey to the sole goal, ‘life me kuch karna hai’ (I want to do something in life).
Rising Above Hardships
Too broke to buy new clothes or even a pair of shoes, Moumita put in all her sweat, tears, and dreams together to become one of India's best in track and field.
"Nobody liked it when I joined athletics initially. Our neighbours questioned my parents, 'Ladki ko akela kyu chor dia? (Why have you left your daughter alone), 'Inki ladki to gayi' (Their daughter is now out of hands), 'Dhoop me bhaag ke kaali ho gayi hai, baad me iska kuch nahi hoga' (She has turned dark after running in the sun, things will be difficult for her later)." Each snarky comment directed towards Moumita's parents broke them a bit each day and the out-turn was them asking their daughter to quit. She would end up being thrashed at home but little did it impact her.
Beaten, tired of convincing her parents to let her follow her passion, Moumita would still reach the running ground timely and complete her training every single day.
Running The Ladder Of Success
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Mondal first made it to the district-level athletic meets and soon to the state grade, subsequently came the change in the perspectives of people around her. Media coverage from her Bangladesh athletics championship back in the day changed things for good, she recalled.
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Nine-year-old Moumita, years later, with her grit, literally ran the ladder of success over the years. A 100m hurdler, Mondal today has many accolades to her name. A silver medalist in national ranking competitions like the Federation Cup, and inter-state championships among others. In 2023, Moumita bagged gold in the women's 100m hurdles and bronze in the long jump.
Winning Against All Odds With ‘This Is My Last Chance’ POV
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"Shuru se he maine life me itne dhakke khaaye hai, padhai se lekar athletics tak, itni chot, itni ladaiyo ke baad yaha pahuchi hu, ab mujhe kisi cheez se darr nahi lagta" (Since the beginning, I have faced so many struggles in my life, from studying to athletics, after so many injuries, after so many fights, I have reached here, now I don't feel afraid of anything)
“I take every chance as my last chance and that’s how I give my 100 percent every single time,” Moumita’s eyes gleamed up. Little through the years has Mondal let the failures impact her present-day performance. A follower of Bhagwat Gita and Lord Krishna, Moumita believes if you don't achieve it, you aren't capable enough for it and it requires a lot more hard work. Lord Krishna's timeless teaching, 'performing one's Dharma (duty) diligently without any attachment to the outcome is what Mondal continues to swear by.
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At Last, Winning Emotional Backing
Image: From an exclusive conversation with HZ
Initially resistant to Moumita's foray into athletics, her parents gradually realised her devotion to sports. Today, the two fully embrace and back their daughter's passion for sports. Moumita’s mother who would scold her every day for getting into athletics is now her speed dial buddy.
“It’s quite a technical game”, stressed the 21-year-old hurdler. With the technicality comes performance pressure and anxiety, and every single time it has hit Mondal, she has speed-dialed her mom for a quick therapy session. “I would call up her mother and she would every single time take me through the trajectory, all that I have been through, all that I have achieved, and reminds her of the intent, 'apne desh ke liye kuch karna hai'.”
Moumita's father who runs a tea stall in the town often communicates his emotions through tears of joy, expressing his immense pride in his daughter's achievements.
As of today, Moumita undergoes eight to nine hours of training every day while persistently zeroing in on one core dream, standing on the podium, and receiving her winning medal while her nation's anthem plays in the background. For years, Reliance Foundation has been a constant in supporting Mondal's physical and mental training, ensuring the hurdler consistently delivers her best performances while representing her nation.
Moumita Mondal making her way from the streets of Jirat to the running tracks at national and international championships is an inspiration to countless others. It is a reminder for all of us that with resilience, and unfaltering determination, impossible is nothing. It's not just a story of running hurdles; it's a beautiful tale of a nine-year-old's undying spirit to make it big in life.
This was just another story from our brand new series, Jazzba where we celebrate women from the world of sports. For more such inspiring tales, stay tuned to HerZindagi.com
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