India, March 18 -- I was not a sporty kid and was never encouraged to play because no girl played sports in the 80s and 90s in India. After all, athletic skills didn't add to the marriage market value. If busy parents had to choose to nag girls about doing something outside of studies, then they would much rather push them to learn stitching or cooking than to play a sport.

Anyway, it's not their fault; I was the one who stayed and played sick during the games period or took up pending school work to avoid hustle in the field. I was that kid who wasn't even selected for March Past on the sports day.

When I started playing a sport at forty, I started with zero. I started because I wanted to be an example to my kids, who couldn't be the n...