How long would you take to complete a 100m sprint? For the record, Usain Bolt’s best (also the world’s best) is 9.58 seconds. The average teenager could pull it off in somewhere between 13 and 15 seconds. If you happen to be in your 20s and 30s, you are probably looking at somewhere upwards of 20 seconds. What, then, is startling about someone taking 24.74 seconds to run 100m? And how did it become a national record for India? Because Bhagwani Devi Dagar, from Haryana, did so at the age of 94!
At the 2022 World Masters Athletics Championships in Finland, Bhagwani Devi ran 100m faster than anybody else in the 90-94 age category, winning a gold medal for India in the process. Now, she is in Poland for the next edition of the same tournament, eager to improve upon her own record and make more history for India.
From a widow at 30 to a gold medalist at 94
“I’ve lived long enough to not fear death. Even if something unfortunate happens to me, bring me back to India. But I shall compete and win it for my nation,” said Bhagwani Devi to her family members when they grew sceptical of her competing in Finland last year. Apart from sprinting her way to gold and a national record in Tampere, Bhagwani Devi also clinched bronze medals in the shot put and discus throw categories. For her remarkable achievements, Bhagwani Devi was honoured with the Sanmarg Aparajita You Inspire (Sports Jury) Award, with Sanmarg Aparajita also taking up the responsibility of sponsoring her trip to Poland this year.
“Bhagwani Devi reflects the success of Bharat more than India. Without any education or formal training, she has managed to follow her dreams and make history. She embodies the nari shakti that underpins our nation and culture,” said Ruchika Gupta, director at the Kolkata-headquartered Sanmarg and the force behind Aparajita, which is on a mission to recognise and support women achievers of extraordinary talent and uniqueness.
Born in Haryana’s Khedka village, Bhagwani Devi got married as early as 12, before being widowed at 30. Having lost a baby boy by the time her husband passed away, Bhagwani Devi decided not to remarry, instead focusing all her energies on her young daughter and another child she was pregnant with at the time. Four years later, her eight-year-old daughter also succumbed prematurely, leaving her toddler son as her only offspring. But Bhagwani Devi did not give up, working long hours in the field to sustain herself and her son, with support from her elder sister who had also married into the same family. Eventually, her efforts paid off and Bhagwani Devi’s son got a job as a clerk in the Delhi Municipal Corporation, which helped improve the family’s economic situation. Soon enough, Bhagwani Devi became a grandmother, with two grandsons and a granddaughter. The eldest of them, Vikas Dagar, grew an active interest in sports, and in spite of coordination impairments, went on to represent India in several competitions, including the Asian Games. A Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardee, Vikas holds multiple records as a para athlete.
The turning point came when Dadi threw a shot put for the first time
(L-R): Ruchika Gupta, Pawan Dhoot, Bhagwani Devi Dagar and Vikas Dagar Sanmarg
It was Vikas who first spotted the hidden athlete in Bhagwani Devi, or “Sprinter Dadi”, as she is often called these days. Bhagwani Devi may not have gone to school during her formative years, but she had developed a passion for sports early on, thanks to the many rounds of kabaddi she used to play with her friends as a child. Even in her 90s, she is extremely fit, and more importantly, has the right posture to compete, according to Vikas. The only concern, though, was the condition of her heart, since she had undergone a bypass surgery in 2007.
“Dadiji would get so excited talking about sports, and even more so when she saw that someone had won a medal. Even though she didn’t quite understand which positions the medals stood for, she kept on saying that her favourite was peela, which is gold!” recounts Vikas, who now also identifies as Bhagwani Devi’s coach. But what was the turning point? How did Vikas and his other family members get convinced that Bhagwani Devi should try her luck in sports?
“One day I had brought a small shot put home, wondering if dadi would want to take a stab by throwing it. She refused. But the very next morning, she was up at 5am and gave it a shot. And what a shot, or rather, a throw, it was! For me, she had thrown it long enough to merit international participation. The fact that she reassured us that she felt fine to compete sealed things,” responded Vikas.
Six gold medals, first in Delhi and then in Chennai, followed within months of Bhagwani Devi joining active competition, before she flew to Finland. “The travel was the biggest problem. For someone of her age to sit in one place for nine to 10 hours is a massive inconvenience. Her entire body becomes stiff and she feels uncomfortable,” said Vikas, thanking Sanmarg Aparajita for understanding the issue and booking business class seats for Sprinter Dadi during her trip to Poland this time around.
‘Sports isn’t just about having fun, it’s also about changing lives and making your country proud’
Bhagwani Devi Dagar with her gold medal and two bronze medals in Finland last year World Masters Indoor Athletics Championships
For a nonagenarian athlete, what are the training and dietary regimes that Bhagwani Devi follows? “Her diet is pretty normal. She eats what she’s mostly eaten all her life, although it can be a bit of a challenge when she’s abroad to find the right food items for her. In terms of training, the focus is on technique rather than tenacity. At her age, we don’t want her to get exhausted during her practice sessions,” explained Vikas.
“Even as middle-aged people we struggle to stand straight at all times, and here’s this woman who’s rock solid and doesn’t flinch. She’s an inspiration for us all,” said Pawan Dhoot, managing director, Dhoot Group, who is also associated with Sanmarg Aparajita and Bhagwani Devi’s special journey.
With her gold medal defence coming up (starting March 26), along with a chance to conquer new records in Poland’s Torun, how does Bhagwani Devi feel about it all? “I’m excited and keen to do more for my country and return with gold again. I’m grateful for all the support I’ve received, and want to use this opportunity to tell my fellow Indians that sports isn’t just about having fun, it’s also about changing lives and making your country proud.”
