Born and brought in Mumbai, Manisha is married in Jaipur and has now truly embraced the pink city as a true Jaipuri. JWB caught her on the eve of International Women Exhibition Match, which took place on Rajasthan Polo Ground recently and asked her to share her insights on the game of the elite, her life and journey as a sportswoman.

On a pleasant winter evening, when we first hit the venue of our meeting, we were stunned to see the atmosphere around. Serene, quiet with just the horses snorting and a woman in action. A cute little Dalmatian was running across the ground and then over to me. The setting could easily have passed for some movie scene. Arrrrggghh… Cut to present.

Three cute dogs sniffed around me, forgot all about the world and jumped on Manisha, the moment she went down the dark beauty. Man, she is an animal lover, and it is the other way round too!

 

I was beaming with excitement and in no time, we got the conversation flowing. Here is a sneak peek:

Me: Manisha, tell us something about yourself and your journey as a sportswoman.

Manisha: Well, I have been a sportsperson all my life.  I am an Asian Game medalist in Tennis and represented India at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in Women’s Doubles in the same. I began playing Polo when I was seven and since then, I have never looked back.

Wow, I was already impressed.

Me: Was your family always supportive of you being a polo player?

Manisha: Totally! As a child, I was pushed into sports at an early age because everybody in our family is a sucker for the same and when I got married, it’s funny to say, my husband turned out to be a sports enthusiast too and my biggest fan. So yes, I have been lucky.

Me: Tell us something about your practice sessions.

Manisha: Since it’s winter now and the weather is pleasant, I can practice in the late morning hour too. Had it been summers, I would have been out on the ground as early as 3.30am. I love the horses, and this is just how passionate I am about Polo.

I remember a funny incident. See, when you are on a horse and your eyes set on the ball, it’s difficult to focus on anything else. Once I was playing a match, and I forgot which team I was on and dragged the ball all the way to the opponent’s net, and you can guess what happened next! Ha-ha!

Me: OMG! That was sure hilarious! Well, how a woman playing Polo, different from that of a man?

Manisha: It is very different. The reasons are obvious. Men are more aggressive, but women, on the other hand, are gentle and sensitive, to the horses, as well. I think it comes naturally to us. And we are better. *chuckles*

Me: I second you. Hmm, women in Polo are not a regular sight. What is your take on this?

Manisha: It’s true. There are only a handful of Women Polo Players in the country. Polo as a sport is not given much exposure and is still considered as a game of the classes which is true. Sports like Tennis and Badminton are more glamorized in India for women, but now times are changing. Recently, Mayo Girls School in Ajmer just flagged off its new women polo team; earlier it was just Mayo Boys. So, change is here. I would also like mention that women as sportspersons are much more successful than men if history is consulted. So, we have been nailing it all the time! Just more efforts need putting from various Polo Associations’ end to make it easier for women.

Me: Well, That’s a good sign, but Polo as a sport is not very popularized. If you take cricket, it has a lot of buzz around it. What do you think can be done to make Polo, from a game of classes to masses?

Manisha: Oh there many things that can be done!

Interactive sessions with horses can be organized, just the pet and you. To increase the glamor quotient, designers can be invited to showcase Polo related merchandise, something like cricket nets you have at malls, can be created for Polo as well, and I am sure it would increase its appeal.

Me: Yay, I hope the organizers are paying attention to this.

Looking at her sporty jacket and stylish pants, I could not help asking her if being a sportsperson has affected her fashion sense at all?

To which she chuckled and replied, ‘I have always been a tomboy right from my childhood. There is an event in the evening which I am supposed to attend in a saree, and I am already dreading it! Time for some YouTube saree-draping sessions I think’.

Me: Are there enough ‘Women Polo Tournaments’ happening in Jaipur?

Manisha: Well, we, women seldom get to play, so we really get excited about any match that takes place! For instance, in the ‘First International Women Exhibition Match,’ there are players from the United States as well, and Manipuri players in our team! It is the first of its kind match in Jaipur, and this is a huge game changer.

Me: Amen to that.

Oooops.. We totally forgot that we had Sanchit by our side when he bumped in with some hope on brushing his horse riding skills! Manisha obliged him happily.

While she rode away on a brown beauty, I reflected upon how this woman wore her heart on her sleeves, her larger than life personality,  her quick wits, and her candid, as a matter of fact tone of voice took our heart away!

We love you for this.

The highlight of the day: We got invited by her for some horse galloping sessions. Be ‘J’ people! Hah!

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