CWG 2022: A Government Officer, A Teacher, A Policewoman and A Mum Show The World They Can Win A Gold Medal Too

Maureen Lenner, a volunteer at the Victoria Park was in awe of a boisterous bunch of Indian fans in the sleepy English town of Leamington Spa. “I am 83 years old, lived here all my life, I have never heard the kind of noise I have heard today. It feels so joyful and festive. The Indians have brought in Christmas cheer.”

It took a bunch of raucous Indian fans and 4 spunky Indian women to propel the sport of Lawn Bowls from oblivion to stardom, for Lemington Spa and the world to wake up to the power of this Commonwealth Sport.

52 Countries in 5 continents play Lawn Bowls. In India it came only in 2010 during the Delhi Commonwealth Games. In 12 years the Women 4s Team has made a gold medal finish. Sunaina Kumari, the Deputy President of Asian Bowling, who was instrumental in introducing the sport, back in 2010, was one of the few who were convinced that India had talent! However putting together the team was never easy.

When IOA was announcing the CWG team last month, there was no talk of Lawn Bowls being a medal event for India. It has sprung the biggest surprise to one and all in these games.

Brita Rawley, one of the senior officials with the Lawn Bowls team drives home the impact,” I would first like to say ‘Shukriya' to you guys because this win by the Indian Women 4s team means 1.3 billion Indians are watching. That means we expect massive growth for the sport and its entry into Olympics in 2032. This win by the Indian ladies is a stuff of Bollywood movies."

It truly is! So who are these 4 women to have become overnight stars?

Rupa Rani Tirkey works with the Sports Department of the Jharkhand Government.

Lovely Choubey is a mother and a Policewoman from Jharkhand.

Pinki is a Cricket Coach at a Delhi School.

Nayanmoni