New Delhi, Feb. 11 -- "Here people are very serious, always busy with work. They don't laugh out loud as I do," Rupa Bayor cracked up while recalling her journey from Arunachal Pradesh to Mumbai.

In her village of Sippi, Rupa would often be seen tilling the paddy fields on the banks of the Subansiri River. In Navi Mumbai now, the 25-year-old taekwondo athlete is No.6 in World Taekwondo (WT) rankings - the top ranked taekwondoin in Asia - aiming to win major medals for the country.

One of the finest exponents of her discipline in the country, Rupa has been slowly rising up the ladder in a sport where Indians haven't exactly excelled at the highest level. For example, Surendra Bhandari is the only Indian to have won a medal (bronze in men...