- 33 minutes ago
Asian Games gold medallists Kiran, Prachi, and Navneet reflected on their historic victories and personal journeys at a special panel. Relay runners Kiran and Prachi, alongside teammates Vidya and Poovamma, reclaimed gold in the women's 4x400 metre relay, edging out China. Prachi shared how the team united from different states as one India, determined to raise the tricolour and play the national anthem. She also recalled having her police uniform measurements taken in anticipation of a deputy superintendent post pledged for gold winners. Kiran recounted her journey overcoming social discouragement and financial hardship by working shifts at a store to fund her athletics training. Indian women's hockey vice-captain Navneet highlighted the team's decisive gold victory against higher-ranked China, which confirmed qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics following the heartbreak of missing Paris. Navneet also made an appeal for sponsors to revive the Women's Hockey League.
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NewsTranscript
00:00What can I say? I just said it before we even started the program.
00:04Just four days ago, I was watching them on TV and I was cheering for them.
00:10And it feels surreal that we've got them joining us in flesh and blood, sitting right next to us.
00:18I'd like to thank, please upload Beto, I'd like to thank all of them.
00:22I must tell you one thing before I even introduce the session.
00:25The two girls there, the Nationals are on right now, the Athletics Nationals.
00:33Kiran on the extreme left has already run a race.
00:38She ran a race in the evening yesterday, took a flight, is here, is going to go back and be
00:43running a race tomorrow as well.
00:45So, you know, kudos to her to have taken our time just for us and grace us with her presence.
00:55So, none of them need any introduction, but I'll do it anyway.
00:58Kiran and Prachi are two members of that 4x400 meter relay girls team that won the gold medal, beat China
01:06in that final.
01:09And Navneet right next to me, don't go by her short demeanor.
01:14She packs a punch when she hits the ball with her hockey stick.
01:17She's one of India's leading goal scorers and the vice captain of the women's hockey team that also won the
01:23gold medal there at the Asian Games.
01:26She's also an Olympian and has been there at the Olympic Games too.
01:30Came very close to winning an Olympic medal too.
01:32But I'll start with the relay girls.
01:34Namneet, don't feel left out.
01:36I'll come to you a little later.
01:37But I'll start with the relay girls.
01:39You know, just to put it into context, Asian Games runs for a period of 14 days.
01:48And the first 10 days, quite frankly, were very disappointing for India.
01:52There were no golds coming.
01:54Plenty of silver, plenty of bronze.
01:56We got two gold medals, one in Kabaddi, one in women's cricket.
02:00But that wasn't a big surprise because we are the biggest powerhouses in Asia in those two sports.
02:06The real medal somebody craved from was from a traditional Olympic sport.
02:11That wasn't coming.
02:11And I actually felt that we'll finish the Asian Games with gold medals in single digit.
02:17That would have been one of our most disappointing performances.
02:21But these girls changed that.
02:23Day 10, almost towards the end of the Asian Games, they win India the third gold medal.
02:28After that, the floodgates opened.
02:31India finished with 21 gold medals.
02:33But it all started because of these girls, what they did on the track.
02:37I'll start with you both, Prachi and Kiran.
02:40There's another thing that I've noticed recently.
02:43Like when I was watching the race, you were like the reds, I was full of attention on that.
02:49But Prachi comes from Uttar Pradesh.
02:53Kiran comes from Haryana.
02:56Vitya comes from Tamil Nadu.
02:58Puvamma comes from Karnataka.
03:01Four different states.
03:03But when you get a question, if I have made an ad for national integration, I have to make an
03:07ad for your relay team.
03:09No one can tell me about it.
03:10They come from different states, but there needs to be a rhythm, a coordination.
03:14When you come to India for one another, what does it happen?
03:17How does it happen?
03:48Well, first of all, I want to answer all of this.
03:48And in the youth, we have to kill everyone and win themselves.
03:51We have to keep our flag on ourselves.
03:53What is our flag on there?
03:54What is our flag on there?
03:56What is our flag on there?
03:57So, we are just like we were doing warm-up, we got to reach in the cold room.
04:02So we thought that we have to take gold today, because we haven't come to athletics in our athletics.
04:07So everyone wants gold. So in our mind, we have to take gold today.
04:14What do we have to take gold today?
04:15Like our national anthem.
04:18So when someone comes to gold in any country,
04:20that's the national anthem.
04:24So in our mind, we will go to our national anthem,
04:28and we will go to our Jhanda Guard.
04:29So all of us were saying that we are very strong.
04:35Just as we are sitting with our baton,
04:38then our target will be that we are passing with others.
04:42So we will pass with a lot of distance.
04:45Which is our next lady who is running,
04:49that they feel that they also got a boost,
04:51that they have given me a good number,
04:55so I will finish it well.
04:56So that was our target.
04:57Our target.
04:59Kiran, the last time, Prachishad, you had also dropped
05:02when China had killed India.
05:05It was the second time in India,
05:07in the last Asian Games.
05:09Yes, yes, yes.
05:10What was it that time?
05:12What was it that time?
05:13What was it that time?
05:13That time we didn't leave China?
05:15Look, when in 2023,
05:17our silver,
05:18it was just in minus 20 microseconds.
05:22So,
05:23at that time,
05:23I came to my mind that this is wrong.
05:25In the middle of the silver,
05:27I wanted gold.
05:28So,
05:29my teammate is there.
05:30In the first Asian Games,
05:31I was also happy,
05:31that I was going to take the medal
05:33without the medal.
05:35But in the mind,
05:36I was going to take the gold.
05:37So,
05:38I had to put it that,
05:39if I come to the next Asian Games,
05:41I will take the gold.
05:42I will take the gold.
05:43I was going to take the gold.
05:44This was when I came to my mind.
05:47This is not saying this.
05:51I am lucky.
05:52I have a phone number.
05:55Their WhatsApp status is written.
05:57It is written
05:58that I will not win a medal immediately,
06:02but I will win a medal eventually.
06:05Yes, sir.
06:05This is their motto in life.
06:07And I think this is a life lesson.
06:09If we need anything,
06:10we will not get immediately.
06:11But we will get it.
06:13Yes, sir.
06:13And that has also shown us.
06:16Kiran,
06:17you tell me,
06:17when Salma Nassir was coming to the end,
06:20you were not in your hands,
06:22the girl was passed.
06:23You would feel that
06:25there would be a gold.
06:26What was going on in the mind?
06:29Look,
06:29the most fear was at the same time.
06:31It was not that there was no fear.
06:33The fear was inside.
06:36Because there was no lead in the beginning,
06:38but you can say that
06:40we were doing good.
06:42But I had a trust in my team.
06:44I had so much trust in my team.
06:45And that thing
06:46we had attacked before us.
06:48Because all people are saying that
06:50you have to take the gold
06:51and you have to take the national anthem.
06:53And the national anthem has to take the gold.
06:54The medal is more than that,
06:55that if our first gold has to take the national anthem.
07:01And the first one was running,
07:02and we were running.
07:03And the fourth runner was running.
07:03But in fact,
07:05we were standing there,
07:06but we were running around.
07:08So we were running around.
07:10come on, come on.
07:11And then we were first.
07:13I mean,
07:13that was gold.
07:15I mean,
07:16that was so happy.
07:18That was so happy,
07:18I mean,
07:19I was running around.
07:20I mean,
07:25that was so happy.
07:26That was so happy.
07:29It was so happy.
07:30But it was so happy.
07:31But it was four to be able to win.
07:32Because it will be the national anthem.
07:33And our gold will finally be gold.
07:35The whole Indian was praying.
07:37It was so happy.
07:37All these people are saying,
07:39come on, India.
07:41India.
07:41One thing is,
07:42India has won seven times gold medals in Asian Games.
07:47This means,
07:47400 meters,
07:48especially women's relay,
07:50we always do good.
07:52Kiran, tell me,
07:52the pressure is increasing
07:54that you are your favorite.
07:55That means,
07:56if India won't win 4 by 400 women,
07:59then you have under-performed.
08:01Like I told you,
08:02after the last time,
08:02there is silver.
08:03Is it added pressure?
08:04Or it gives you more gratitude
08:05to better performance?
08:06You cannot say pressure,
08:08but sometimes,
08:10that everyone has hope
08:11that we need gold.
08:14If they are all thinking,
08:16then definitely,
08:17we can do it all.
08:18That's why they have hope
08:19and sit down.
08:21And,
08:22there is pressure also.
08:24There is no such thing.
08:25But,
08:27there is no pressure of gold.
08:28The main pressure was the most.
08:30The main pressure was the most.
08:31It was the most.
08:31Everyone has hope
08:32to sit down.
08:32And that is,
08:33for the national anthem.
08:34That's the most.
08:35The pressure is the most.
08:37So,
08:37Prachee.
08:38By the way,
08:38Prachee,
08:39he won the individual medal
08:39in the 400m.
08:41They won the two medals
08:41in the Asian Games.
08:43There is a celebration
08:44that you saw up above.
08:46Now,
08:47and then,
08:48pointing at the bottom.
08:49What is happening?
08:50What is happening?
08:51It happens that God tells you that you were with me and I was with you, but it was a
08:57combination of our both, because what happens is that when we are training, we are down with our mind, our
09:04mind is sometimes like a body is not so good, so it remains like this, does it happen or not,
09:11it remains a doubt.
09:12It remains like this. And then, what does God hold hands, prays, so God remains with us. Then, some people
09:20say, what will happen from this?
09:22There are some people in our lives who are also demotivating, saying, now we are 29 years old, now what
09:29will we do?
09:29So, then, it reminds us that God was you and I am, today I have done, you have done and
09:36I have done.
09:37So, it remains that today, what I accepted and what you have listened to me, it has been completed. It
09:44remains like that in that moment.
09:46Okay, so, Tiranga is still with you, I see, and what is your hand in your hands?
09:51Yes, when I was there, it was a nail art crack.
09:54It is an Indian flag. Yes, yes, yes.
09:56It was that, we are representing India, so, there is our whole idea that we can see Tiranga everywhere.
10:05So, this is why we are in our hands daily, it is still with our hands and nails.
10:09So, we always remember that, yes, Tiranga is going to come, Tiranga is going to come, Tiranga is going to
10:13come.
10:13So, this was his mother.
10:14So, this was you prepared from home.
10:18One thing was prepared from home.
10:20You also prepared from the dress.
10:21What is that?
10:22Let me tell you.
10:23Yes, yes, as I told you, in 2022, my mission was a silver medal.
10:27Yes, it was silver.
10:28So, our CM, Yogi Adityanath Ji, they made a policy that the gold medal will win, we will make DSP.
10:40So, when I got my gold, then I couldn't make DSP.
10:43Then, I took it that if I will come, I will make DSP.
10:46So, this time, my confidence was very much on me.
10:49And this time, I also gave my personal best time in this year.
10:53So, I also had more confidence that if I will go, then we will take gold.
10:57So, I am very excited to come and I have given the gold medal here on my uniform, so I
11:01will be wearing gold.
11:04So, this was his final vote.
11:06So, did you wear the one or not?
11:08Yes.
11:08Now is coming.
11:09Just like I will get a letter, joining letter, then I will put the post on them.
11:16Veryético, I am so confident that this won't come before us.
11:20Absolutely.
11:22No, no, you deserve it, absolutely.
11:25Namneet, have you seen their race?
11:27Have you seen it before?
11:28Or because you were playing your own matches,
11:32their gold will come.
11:33The camp is one, the village is one,
11:35you'll know.
11:37Yes, I saw it on social media,
11:39I didn't see it live,
11:41but on social media I saw that
11:42our gold medal came.
11:45So I'm very happy at this time
11:47that we are watching,
11:48we all know who the medal is,
11:50who is in the game,
11:51so they are all watching on social media.
11:54As I said, after that,
11:55there was a line of gold medal after their medal.
11:59Is it discussed in the entire camp?
12:01They have done it,
12:02now we want to do it?
12:03Yes, yes, absolutely.
12:05We talk about the other one,
12:07as a team,
12:07when we come to the team,
12:09they have won their gold,
12:10they have won their gold,
12:12so we have to take this medal,
12:14we have to take gold.
12:16So, where we talk about gold,
12:18we talk about hockey.
12:19For me,
12:21because hockey is very close,
12:24I won't say anything,
12:25every gold medal is special,
12:27but in my heart,
12:28the gold medal is about hockey,
12:30that is the women's team's gold medal.
12:31Why?
12:32Because for 44 years,
12:34India didn't win the gold medal at Asian level,
12:37women's team,
12:38men's team also won,
12:40women's team didn't win,
12:41because China was very strong.
12:43In fact, when these people played the final,
12:45they were also underdogs.
12:47China was a higher-ranked team,
12:49it was a favourite team for winning,
12:51and this team won the gold medal.
12:55Okay, the two goals that you saw,
12:58one was the hockey world cup,
13:02five German defenders,
13:04who shot the goal,
13:06and after diving goal,
13:08that was Navneet.
13:09The two goals,
13:10one of the best goals,
13:12they were voted in the tournament,
13:14that was Navneet.
13:14One thing,
13:16I've seen the goal now,
13:17in my mind,
13:20that,
13:21as you can see,
13:22it's not so strong,
13:23it's so strong,
13:23it's so powerful.
13:26When you put a jersey on the India,
13:28that power comes to your own,
13:30that's the hole,
13:31that,
13:31now,
13:32to go to the ground.
13:34That power,
13:35we saw China,
13:37China was a favourite,
13:39but you guys won the gold medal.
13:42What was the title of the team?
13:45What was your mind,
13:46and you went on the mountain?
13:48Asian Games was a lot,
13:49even though,
13:51in the time of our event,
13:52our first match was with China,
13:53with China.
13:55As a team,
13:56we talked about,
13:57that,
13:57we are playing here,
13:59so,
13:59in this match,
14:00we have to perform good,
14:01so that,
14:02when they come to Asian Games,
14:03we have to do some homework,
14:04so that,
14:05India will not have to lose.
14:06And,
14:06in that match,
14:07we played good,
14:08and that match,
14:082-2 draw,
14:09in our World Cup.
14:11And,
14:12at the time of Asian Games,
14:12that,
14:13we prepared,
14:15with the coaches,
14:16and the individual players,
14:18as a team,
14:20and,
14:21as a team,
14:21we also had a meeting,
14:22that,
14:23why should we,
14:24this medal?
14:25Every player,
14:26said,
14:26why should we,
14:27this medal?
14:28Everyone talked about it.
14:29And,
14:30I said,
14:31that,
14:31that feeling,
14:32that,
14:34that,
14:35national anthem,
14:35the third Asian Games,
14:37that,
14:37I have silver,
14:37bronze,
14:38so,
14:39that goal value feeling,
14:41and,
14:42that,
14:43that,
14:43that,
14:44all of our teams,
14:44In this case, everyone was one of their personal goals, which everyone shared, and as a team, we had just
14:50said that if you feel a little tired or something,
14:53then remember one another, and that will not get you in the ground.
14:57That's how we remember one another.
14:59One moment came, India was leading 1-0 versus China, and China gets a penalty stroke.
15:05You know that in hockey, penalty stroke means almost a goal.
15:08I think it's 90% conversion rate.
15:10I also thought it would be a goal.
15:12But our wall, Savita, is not our goalkeeper.
15:16They saved it.
15:17As I said, one in ten shots are saved.
15:20And they saved it.
15:21I remember Chakde movie.
15:23It was like the final, left or right.
15:27No, it was straight.
15:28There were also players or coaches who were giving tips.
15:31You were watching at that time.
15:33There was no chance to save the goal.
15:35Yes, yes.
15:36We had a complete belief on them.
15:37Because, as I told you before, we planned it.
15:41So, the goalkeepers also showed us how the players stocked the other team.
15:46And at that time, I believe that Savita knows where he is going to kill mostly.
15:51So, they will save it.
15:52And that save was very important for us.
15:55I think there was another turning point.
15:58I think that the team has gone wrong.
15:59Now, we will not leave it.
16:00We will save it.
16:01We will save it.
16:03We will save it.
16:04With this goal, you have also qualified for the Olympics.
16:07You have also qualified for the Olympics.
16:07In the LA Olympics, you will go to the Indian women's team.
16:09Last time, we missed out.
16:11We didn't qualify for the last time.
16:12The men's team left.
16:15And the men's team also took the medal.
16:17You were in the first Olympics.
16:19You were in the first Olympics.
16:19You missed in one Olympics.
16:22Now, how are you feeling?
16:24That now you are going.
16:25You have got the ticket of LA.
16:27Yes, yes.
16:28You are feeling good.
16:29But we remember that when we missed Paris in the qualifiers.
16:33Because after Asian Games, there are qualifiers.
16:36If there is no gold in the Asian Games,
16:37then it becomes very difficult.
16:39There is a lot of pressure on the team.
16:41But I think, somewhere else,
16:43that was also in our mind.
16:44That we didn't go to Paris.
16:46So, this time, we have to qualify for Asian Games.
16:48So, we have to get the ticket ready.
16:51So, we have to go and prepare for it.
16:53And we have to prepare for it.
16:54And that was the team.
16:56One thing, I will ask you from the three.
16:59That the Asian Games also came in front of the Asian Games.
17:02I didn't have any surprise.
17:03That the Indian women,
17:05who were the Indian men,
17:07came in front of the Indian men.
17:08and then,
17:09that was our 21 gold,
17:1114 of them,
17:13who were the women.
17:14Once again,
17:15the women,
17:16they saved us.
17:19Therefore,
17:20you want to go to the three.
17:21What is the force of the Indian women?
17:24Where does it come from?
17:25Because the society's still standing up.
17:27Where does it come from?
17:28You will go to the three.
17:29We have to prove that the message has been a blessing for us.
17:32That's not true.
17:34That's the truth.
17:35It's that,
17:36that's that.
17:38So, parents also give them a lot of children.
17:42They get a lot of children out there.
17:45We don't get so much girls.
17:46We have to do work at home.
17:48We don't have to do anything at home.
17:49They don't do anything at home.
17:50So, what happens is that we have to do work at home,
17:56which are the work in the house.
17:58So, it happens that if they have so much freedom,
18:02and if we get so much freedom,
18:05then, now you can see,
18:06girls are reduced in the Asian Games.
18:10According to the girls, girls are reduced.
18:13So, they came together with the medals.
18:14So, our quantity is also increased.
18:17So, I think that if the mother and father
18:21will give all the girls out there,
18:25that you go, we are with you.
18:28So, there are many girls who will come out there.
18:31And that is what we call our IQ.
18:35If someone's mother's mother,
18:37I mean, like the girls,
18:38they become a mother,
18:39they become a mother.
18:40So, if the mother is strong,
18:41then the child will also be strong.
18:43This is what happens.
18:44Because 75% of our body,
18:47they come through the mother.
18:49So, I want to say,
18:52to the parents,
18:52to the parents,
18:53that you grow as much as the girls,
18:56as much as you give the girls.
18:57So, not as much as you give,
18:59but as much as you give,
19:00as much as you give,
19:00as much as you give.
19:01So, the girls are strong,
19:02and like our country,
19:05the girls are strong,
19:06and our energy power,
19:08that is on a good level,
19:10that energy power is still there.
19:12No, no,
19:13no, no,
19:13whoever has married,
19:14he will tell you,
19:15that energy power is more.
19:16He has eaten a lot.
19:17So, energy power is always known,
19:19that energy power is always more.
19:20Tell me.
19:22I would like to say this,
19:23and I would like to say this,
19:23Dr. Didi has to say,
19:24that energy power.
19:25Just one thing,
19:26I will tell you about Kiran.
19:27He said,
19:28we do extra work.
19:30You probably don't know many people,
19:32Kiran has done extra work,
19:34and he has done his career,
19:36and he has also done his career.
19:37He has not money,
19:38he has never had a ticket for national,
19:40which you have to participate in the nation,
19:42you have to give money.
19:43He has also not money for spikes.
19:45Tell me,
19:46if I am wrong,
19:47he has also worked in a store,
19:49in Patanjali's store,
19:50he has also worked in the whole day.
19:52He has earned money from there,
19:53he has done his diet,
19:56so that I can do it.
19:58So, whatever the girl does,
19:59you cannot stop.
20:01Tell me.
20:01Yes,
20:03I will tell you,
20:04I had permission to go to home,
20:07I didn't have training to go to home,
20:08I didn't have to do this.
20:09There are such things,
20:10in the village,
20:11there are also things,
20:12there are such things,
20:13I have to say,
20:14some of the village,
20:14my uncle told me,
20:16my father told me,
20:17that your girl is not good,
20:18he was talking to someone,
20:19he was talking to someone,
20:20and I was talking to someone,
20:20so I was thinking,
20:22my father stopped my training,
20:24for a good time,
20:25I tried a lot,
20:27but my family didn't know,
20:28last time,
20:28I thought,
20:29I thought,
20:29I'm not doing well.
20:30I said,
20:31if you can play me,
20:32then I will not study,
20:33or not eat food.
20:35I have kept so many times,
20:37so my family said,
20:38that's okay.
20:39But,
20:40the time,
20:41I didn't have my financial condition,
20:43so I was training,
20:45and I was doing a job in the store,
20:50after that,
20:51I was training at night,
20:53and I got to go to 4-5,000,
20:54and I had to rent,
20:56and eat food.
20:57foreign
21:27I was qualified in Paris in the Olympics in 2014 and gave my personal best 50.92 and I have
21:34a meet record in the Interstate.
21:37So many people told me that I am not sure, but I didn't think I had to answer them.
21:47I thought that I didn't have to answer anything.
21:49But I didn't have to answer anything.
21:51And as you have seen, we have achieved a gold in ASIN Games.
21:56So maybe I didn't have to answer the question.
22:01That's right.
22:02You have given it on the track.
22:04We don't have enough time for you, but I will also go with you.
22:07One more thing, because it's about Nari Shakti.
22:10In terms of women's safety, when you play from childhood, at every level,
22:14you have to play.
22:15Do you think that the environment is okay for a girl to play for a girl,
22:19its security, its safety?
22:21Because you have to run away from every level.
22:25There are male coaches, athletes.
22:27In that regard, do you want to see the situation that can be better?
22:33Yes, sir.
22:34Yes, sir.
22:34Absolutely.
22:34The safety is very important.
22:36Mostly, what happens?
22:38Sometimes, there are also some things that happen.
22:41I don't know why there is a chance to get this.
22:44Maybe it will be a favorite coach.
22:46But I think there is a lot of improvement.
22:48If we look at our team, there is a lot of good environment for these things.
22:52And for this, for this, we also keep in mind that our physios are in the field,
22:58that if someone has any problem, they feel that they are not safe,
23:02they can talk to them.
23:04So I think that it is an excellent initiative,
23:07that there is a female in the team that can hear your speech,
23:13and that you can talk to them.
23:14I think that in other sports, they will also be all these things.
23:17So, it is a little bit that all players feel safe for them.
23:21And the rest, as a senior players,
23:23we also have responsibility for our youngster,
23:26all juniors, that they are comfortable with us.
23:28If they feel something like that,
23:30they can talk to us.
23:32We go, because you had a few times before,
23:36on the women's league.
23:38The women's league is the women's hockey league,
23:41but now it is not,
23:42because there is no support for many people.
23:44It is a platform for you.
23:45It is a platform for you.
23:46If you want to speak something,
23:47what do you know?
23:48There is someone who can take this thing,
23:50and you can possibly make the women's league possible.
23:54Yes, yes, absolutely.
23:55With this medal,
23:56this was also our target,
23:58that our Hockey India League started,
24:00which has been two times,
24:01but now we don't know if it will happen or not.
24:04So, the whole team had requested
24:06that as much as sponsors come to our league,
24:09because there is a lot of benefit from it.
24:11Like we are taking the medal in the World Cup,
24:13there is also a good performance.
24:15So,
24:16we got the benefit from the league,
24:18that our young players play the league,
24:20and they have the experience from there.
24:22And I think for the future generation,
24:24it is also good that they will play the league,
24:26and they will take the experience from there.
24:27So,
24:28that will benefit for India,
24:30for the Indian team.
24:30So,
24:31my request is,
24:32that you can take the sponsors here,
24:37so that our league can be able to be a sponsor.
24:39Okay,
24:39on that note,
24:40I hope,
24:41this platform can be that mode,
24:43through which that league happens.
24:44Once again,
24:45ladies and gentlemen,
24:46a big round of applause,
24:47to our gold medal winners,
24:49at the Asian Games,
24:50Kiran,
24:52Prachi,
24:52and Navneet.