The Brutal Reality of Being an Indian Athlete :

Ever thought about what it takes to be an athlete in India? Sure, you’ve got to train hard, but what they don’t tell you is how brutal the journey really is. Here’s the real, unfiltered truth—what it actually feels like to chase your dreams in Indian sports, where the biggest challenges aren’t always your opponents.

1. Travel Like a Warrior  

Imagine having a major competition tomorrow, but you’ve already lost a full night’s sleep on a bus with no A/C and the world’s hardest seats. Or maybe it’s a 10-hour journey on a cramped, dusty train with people pushing past you every five minutes. Welcome to life as an Indian athlete. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing at the national level; the luxury of smooth, comfortable travel just doesn’t exist. It’s exhausting, both physically and mentally. And then? You’re somehow supposed to perform at your absolute best. But who cares about our comfort, right?

2. Schedules That Never Stick  

Nothing is more frustrating than preparing for a competition you don’t even know if you’re actually competing in. True story: I once got called for national selection trials just two days before. My coach used to laugh and say, “Kabhi bhi ho sakta hai”—it can happen anytime. It’s always this way. And let’s not even get started on competition delays. "Starting at 10 am" means we might actually begin by noon if we’re lucky. Meanwhile, our muscles tighten up, and all that pre-competition hype starts fading. We’re left frustrated, sore, and waiting. It’s a chaotic mess, and somehow, we’re still expected to bring our A-game.

3. “Accommodation”—If You Can Call It That  

After hours of gruelling competition, what would you expect? A decent bed? A clean space? Wrong. Many athletes crash in hostels that barely qualify as liveable, let alone comfortable. I’ve heard my seniors talk about sharing floors with rats, sleeping shoulder-to-shoulder on mats, and sweltering in rooms without a fan, let alone A/C. You put in years of effort and endless hours of training only to find yourself sleeping on the floor. This isn’t just uncomfortable; it’s disrespectful. And yet, here we are, still hustling.

4. Training Facilities—or the Lack of Them  

Now for the final blow: facilities. Broken equipment, subpar fields, pools full of fungus—you name it, we’ve seen it. Some sports complexes don’t even have basic changing rooms for girls. And still, people wonder why India doesn’t “produce” more champions. The truth is, our athletes aren’t the problem; the broken system is. If only we had the same quality facilities athletes worldwide enjoy, the results would speak for themselves. 

This is the harsh reality Indian athletes deal with every single day. Having now trained both in India and the U.S., I can tell you—it’s not our talent that holds us back, but the treatment.. We have what it takes, but the support just isn’t there. So, here’s my question: will we keep ignoring these issues, or are we finally going to demand better for our athletes? It’s time to fix this system—because only then will Indian sports truly rise.