Story of judoka Lagan Lakshakar: A telling example of how power of sport changes society’s conservative mindset

Patna, May 8 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh’s Lagan Lakshakar is a telling example of a conservative society’s mindset being changed. On her debut in the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar, this judo athlete from SAI National Centre of Excellence, Bhopal, won 57 kg category bronze medal. She not only changed how society perceives her but also inspired hundreds from Bundelkhand to follow her path.

Training in Bhopal since 2023, Lagan’s journey has been far from easy. To reach this level, she had to pass through eight different sports before finding her calling in judo. It was in this battle for identity that Judo stood by her – and helped her prove herself.

After winning bronze at Gyan Bhawan in Patna, the 17-year-old Lagan Lakshakar was visibly emotional. She recalled that her parents had to endure harsh comments and taunts after the birth of their first child. After speaking with her mother, Lagan could not hold back her tears. Her mother, too, was equally overwhelmed.

Lagan said the birth of a girl is not considered good in the Bundelkhand region. “My father is the only son in his family. He has four elder sisters. When I was born, our family expressed sorrow instead of happiness and said, ‘Oh, another girl has arrived.’ But my parents didn’t share that mindset. My mother is from Delhi and has progressive views,” she said.

“My parents, especially mother, have supported me immensely. She wanted me to do something that would stop our relatives from taunting us about me being a girl. To support me, my father left his job at a cooperative bank, and we moved from Orai to Jhansi. I tried many sports but found no success. Then Judo has given me a new identity and brought respect to my parents,” she said.

Before taking up Judo, Lagan Lakshakar had won 21 gold medals across eight sports. She tried her hand at Yoga, Gymnastics, Taekwondo, Boxing, Karate and others, winning a gold medal in the National Sub-Junior Championship in Gymnastics. After I won gold at the Cadet National in Judo this year, the perceptions have started changing.

Lagan said Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar has been an eye-opening experience. “I hadn’t heard many positive things about Bihar before, but after coming here, I realised it’s nothing like what I had heard. We’ve been taken care of very well,” she added. “The Khelo India initiative has raised awareness about sports not just among athletes but also parents across all sections of society,” she said.

–IANS

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