Poonam Chaturvedi towers above the remainder, somewhat actually, at seven toes tall — making her India’s tallest girl basketball participant!
However her towering top is only one a part of her atypical tale. What units her aside is the adventure of grit and backbone that she embarked upon — overcoming each bodily and emotional demanding situations — to turn out to be an inspiration off and on the court docket.
Born in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Poonam’s top at all times drew consideration. By the point she was once in highschool, she was once already six toes tall, status out in each and every crowd. Sadly, this additionally made her the objective of merciless bullying, with name callings geared toward her top and a malformed higher lip that made talking tough.
Those consistent jibes took a toll on her vanity, however basketball grew to become out to be her saving grace. It was once a scorching afternoon in Kanpur when destiny intervened.
As Poonam strolled down a side road, her enforcing top stuck the attention of a circle of relatives pal passing by means of. With a twinkle in his eye, he approached her and requested, “Have you ever ever thought to be enjoying basketball?” That unmarried query requested with informal interest, planted a seed in her thoughts that will quickly blossom into a keenness.
In that fleeting second, the theory of basketball — the very game that will ultimately develop into her lifestyles — started to take root in her center.
From there, Poonam’s trail to the court docket gave the impression destined. Six toes 3 inches tall right through her highschool years, she started to take the game critically. The basketball court docket turned into her safe haven, an area the place she may just channel her frustrations and develop into her insecurities into strengths.
Her speedy expansion within the game led her to enroll in the state workforce, and it wasn’t lengthy sooner than her atypical top turned into her largest asset at the court docket. However simply as her occupation was once gaining momentum, lifestyles threw an not possible problem her means.
In 2013, Poonam was once recognized with a mind tumour, a devastating blow that threatened no longer simplest her basketball goals however her lifestyles itself. The street forward was once stuffed with uncertainty as she underwent two main surgical procedures. For 5 lengthy years, her long run within the game remained bleak.
Regardless of those setbacks, Poonam’s spirit by no means faltered. Her love for basketball and her indomitable will to be triumphant stored her going via gruelling restoration classes. In 2019, lifestyles smiled at her once more as she was once in spite of everything declared tumour-free, and she or he made a victorious go back to the game she beloved.
“I used to be instructed I would possibly by no means play once more.”
For Poonam Chaturvedi, those phrases will have been the top of a promising occupation, however they just ignited her preventing spirit. At seven toes tall, as of late, Poonam is India’s tallest girl basketball participant, however her true stature comes from the battles she fought off the court docket.
Edited by means of Pranita Bhat