New Delhi: India’s first World Athletics Championships medalist Anju Bobby George says she competed in the “wrong era”, and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s eagerness to promote sports in the country and promote change.
Speaking at an event organized at the PM’s residence on Christmas, the legendary long jumper said: ”As a sportsperson, I have been here for almost 25 years and I have seen a lot of changes. Even when I won India’s first global medal 20 years ago, my department was not ready to promote me. “But after Neeraj (Chopra) won the medal, I have seen changes… the way we are celebrating… I envy them because I was in the wrong era,” Anju said during the event. Anju, who won a bronze medal in the women’s long jump at the 2003 World Athletics Championships in Paris, talked about women empowerment and how the country now celebrates the achievements of athletes.
“Women empowerment is no longer just a word. “Every Indian girl is ready to dream and they know that their dreams will come true,” she said.
The PM interacted with the Christian community on the occasion of Christmas and Anju was among the prominent people attending the event.
“I think we will be on top (in the sports world) in the near future,” he said.
Among her other achievements, Anju won a gold medal at the 2003 African-Asian Games and achieved her personal best of 6.83 m at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, placing her fifth. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2002, Khel Ratna in 2003 and the fourth highest civilian award Padma Shri in 2004.
