Football for freedom: Girls from rural Rajasthan play ball to fight patriarchy

Girls—aged between 10 and 20—from villages including Chachiyawas, Hansiyawas, Kharekhadi, Tedvon Ki Dhani and Padampura around Ajmer, Rajasthan, are finding confidence and perseverance in playing football and scoring goals on the field and in life
Published: Oct 17, 2022
Football

Image by : Amit Verma

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  • Football for freedom: Girls from rural Rajasthan play ball to fight patriarchy
  • MJAS
  • Warm up
  • Freindly match
  • Gayatri Panwar
  • Savitri  Rekha  and Gayatri Panwar
  • Savitri Panwar, Kumkum Panwar, Payal Prajapati, Pooja Panwar and Gayatri Panwar
  • Payal Prajapati
  • 09_Payal Prajapati
  • Sapna Gurjar
  • Football
  • Mentoring
  • Team Hasiawas
  • Bhavani Khera

“My parents didn’t allow me to play, saying football is only for boys, and they did not want me to wear shorts. They eventually agreed, reluctantly, when I said that I’ll play in a kurta churidar,” recollects Sapna Gujjar, who started playing football just for the love of the sport, and then figured that if she excelled in it, she would have more agency and control over leading her life the way she wants.