Opportunity to lift the spirit of Chanu in our girls

India`s Mirabai Chanu reacts after a successful attempt at the Clean & Jerk of women`s 49Kg category weightlifting event at the Summer Olympics 2020, in Tokyo. Pic/PTI

Mirabai Chanu, Indian woman weightlifter, who opened the country's account at the Tokyo Olympics, is so much more than a super silver athlete for the country.

There is a story behind that medal, one that talks about positive body image, strength is beauty and of course, breaking gender stereotypes.

The strong woman from Imphal, Manipur, the north-east pocket that has brought India so much sporting glory, should be an inspiration when it comes to resilience. The never-give-up spirit shines through when you see that she did not have a single successful lift in Rio 2016. Here, she bounced back to strike silver.

Women who are trapped by gender stereotypes or those who seek to trap them must learn from Chanu and her ilk. From strength, to not fitting the typical feminine mould, the weightlifters are talking muscle is appealing, muscle bound and femininity go together.

Even today, there are women who feel pressured to look a certain way. All our talk about not body shaming is lip service, as inevitably, it is the women who are judged harshly, just go through all the online trolls for the way they look. If they do not conform, they are ugly and worse.

A story about opportunity and freedom also lies behind this success. Give your girls wings so that they can fly and realise their dreams. Every woman's dream may not be the same, but teach her she is free to be the best she can be. Do not hold her back citing societal constraints. The story goes that Chanu's parents realised their daughter had extraordinary strength, when she could make light of a large bundle of firewood, which her brother would struggle to carry.

To all the girls there, go and find the spirit of Chanu in you.