Independent Women

FROM ISSUE # 159 (March 2009) | IN THIS ISSUE
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Nepali women are more than just good homemakers these days. Along with cooking, cleaning and taking care of her loved ones she is ready to take on the world. She now has a professional life which till the recent past was thought to be exclusively for men. WAVE this month brings forward eight inspirational women who refused to be bracketed and let their gender come in between their dreams. They are confident, talented and now enjoy statuses as high as their male counterparts.

Running the distance
Pramila Rijal, National Level Athlete

IMAGE: ANUP PRAKASH

When Pramila Rijal joined the Armed Police Force defying her family's decision, there was only one goal in her mind–to excel in the field of athletics. What started out as a hobby has now turned Pramila into a professional athlete on a steady road to greater heights.

"Athletics was an innate quality," says the 22-year-old. "I was involved in sports of some sort for as long as I can remember." Born to a poor family in Ilam, Pramila's enthusiasm for athletics made her a winner all the way. She won almost all school level competitions and many others that she took part in. But the turning point came as the form of Coach Rohit Bhattarai, under whoom she participated in the 4th National Games.

Now that she's joined the Armed Police Force she hopes for some sort of a breakthrough in athletics. "The sole purpose of joining the Police was the logistics and facilities that they can provide," says a hopeful Pramila. And getting the training to good use, she has indeed broken many records. Last was the national record in 400m and the most notable one was winning against Olympic athlete Chandrakala Rai in a 200m race.

Pramila feels that family support is the key factor in any individual's success, more so, in a competitive field like sports. "You need a lot of moral support and living in a place far away from home doesn't make it easy. "But I guess that's alright," says Pramila, "because I have a purpose."

*Malin Gurung