Poonam Chaturvedi towers above the rest, quite literally, at seven feet tall — making her India’s tallest woman basketball player!
But her towering height is just one part of her extraordinary story. What sets her apart is the journey of grit and determination that she embarked upon — overcoming both physical and emotional challenges — to become an inspiration on and off the court.
Born in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Poonam’s height always drew attention. By the time she was in high school, she was already six feet tall, standing out in every crowd. Unfortunately, this also made her the target of cruel bullying, with taunts aimed at her height and a malformed upper lip that made speaking difficult.
These constant jibes took a toll on her self-esteem, but basketball turned out to be her saving grace. It was a hot afternoon in Kanpur when fate intervened.
As Poonam strolled down a street, her imposing height caught the eye of a family friend passing by. With a twinkle in his eye, he approached her and asked, “Have you ever considered playing basketball?” That single question asked with casual curiosity, planted a seed in her mind that would soon blossom into a passion.
In that fleeting moment, the idea of basketball — the very sport that would eventually transform her life — began to take root in her heart.
From there, Poonam’s path to the court seemed destined. Six feet three inches tall during her high school years, she began to take the sport seriously. The basketball court became her refuge, a space where she could channel her frustrations and transform her insecurities into strengths.
Her rapid growth in the sport led her to join the state team, and it wasn’t long before her extraordinary height became her greatest asset on the court. But just as her career was gaining momentum, life threw an unimaginable challenge her way.
In 2013, Poonam was diagnosed with a brain tumour, a devastating blow that threatened not only her basketball dreams but her life itself. The road ahead was filled with uncertainty as she underwent two major surgeries. For five long years, her future in the sport remained bleak.
Despite these setbacks, Poonam’s spirit never faltered. Her love for basketball and her indomitable will to succeed kept her going through gruelling recovery periods. In 2019, life smiled at her again as she was finally declared tumour-free, and she made a victorious return to the sport she loved.
“I was told I might never play again.”
For Poonam Chaturvedi, these words could have been the end of a promising career, but they only ignited her fighting spirit. At seven feet tall, today, Poonam is India’s tallest woman basketball player, but her true stature comes from the battles she fought off the court.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
No comments:
Post a Comment