What will the city of Paris be like during Paralympics?

Paris was part chaotic, on the edge, and teeming with security personnel and police in the…

The power of fandom – from hockey in Paris to the Maidans of Kolkata

Of my fan encounters during the Paris Olympics, I will especially remember the medal winning hockey…

What Vinesh Phogat means to me

I will always remember a smiling and very girl-next-door Vinesh Phogat happily eating a pizza with…

Kolkata and Delhi, Derby and Vinesh: Sport, politics and gender

A couple of days ago, I had written a piece on this platform, speaking about sport…

Fan zones in Paris will be hubs for generating awareness for Paralympics

An integral part of any mega games is its integration with the city and its public.…

A changing society calls for social democracy – let the upcoming Paralympics be a clarion call

In her third Independence Day speech,  President Draupadi Murmu spoke about affirmative action and the opening…

August protest: Empowerment of women through sports

Sport has had a long history as a tool of protest. Historians of sport can tell…

The Vinesh Phogat dilemma: What’s at stake and what’s the price to pay?

As we still await the sole arbitrator’s decision in the Vinesh Phogat versus UWW and IOC…

What we expect from an Olympics host city going forward: Structural and logistical matters

We travelled back from Paris yesterday. As we were getting ready to leave the hotel in…

Placing women athletes on a high pedestal or castigating them – The Indian narrative of two extremes

Sharmistha Gooptu in Paris As a woman covering her first Olympic Games, I run the risk…