National Games: Bronze medallist fencer Shruti battles dearth of resources

Mumbai: Bhavani Devi’s Tokyo Olympics breakthrough, one assumed, would have opened the floodgates for fencing in India to some extent. But for those like Shruti Joshi, who became the National Games bronze medallist after a fighting loss to Bhavani in the women’s sabre semi-finals, undercurrents of this far from developed niche sport in the country continue to be felt.

Be it in her early days of pursuing this expensive sport coming from a humble background in Nagpur — her father is employed privately as a driver and her mother is a housewife. Or be it now as a 22-year-old knocking multiple doors for financial support to go a level up from competing domestically to internationally.

“This National Games medal is fine, but I don’t want to stay at this level. I want to compete in international tournaments, and for that I need some funds,” Shruti said. “I’ve approached several people. And a lot of them still ask, “what is fencing”. Bhavani didi going to the Olympics (in 2021) helped develop it a little, but it’s still not happened to that extent.”

Having won her first National Games medal, Shruti said she will now look for a job and invest money from that in funding her fencing ambitions. From a young age, she hasn’t let lack of resources come her way.

The Nagpur girl found the look of fencing “unique” at first glance and took it up at 14. The income of her father did not match the demands of an expensive sport with hefty equipment cost. Not once, however, was she stopped from pursuing it.

“Knowing my family condition, I did not think that they would be able to support me in this sport. It was very difficult for us financially. But not once did they question whatever I needed,” Shruti said.

Somehow, and sometimes with money lent by her first coach Ankit Gajghiye to travel for tournaments, Shruti progressed through the age-group ranks in the state. She then went for SAI trials and currently trains at its centre in Kerala.

She realises that training and winning medals in India will only get her that far. She wants to do that abroad, like Bhavani. In the last two months, Shruti has twice crossed paths with the face of Indian fencing. She ran into Bhavani in the Round of 16 of the Senior Nationals last month, and again at the National Games in Dehradun. This semi-final defeat though was a lot closer (10-15), giving her the belief — apart from a bronze medal — that she is on the right path.

“I played with a lot of confidence against her. I gave it my all. And I will get better, so that the next time we meet, I can beat her. Because I don’t want to stay here. I want compete internationally and, like her, eventually at the Olympics.”

Shruti says she has missed three international events in Europe due to lack of funds. She hopes to further make a mark in India and, sooner rather than later, head to testing the waters overseas. “India mein thodi rehna hai. My ambitions are bigger.”