The Bihar womens kabaddi team on Friday kept the promise they made to each other while boarding the train to Ranchi that they would win a medal for Manisha Devi,their former team mate who was shot dead in Patna by a CRPF stalker on her way back from practice on February 10. It wasnt an easy trip though. We stayed in our rooms at the hostel for two days. There was fear,but more than that,there was shock. We did not know what to do,what to say,where to go,whom to talk to, said Manisha Kumari about the two days they remained in Patna after the incident. Manishas body was sent back to Himachal Pradesh (she hailed from there) on the 11th. We did not know whether the team would participate or not; most of us expected to be sent back home. On 12th morning,we were told that the team would participate and had to leave in a few hours. For two days,we had been living in a shell,no packing done,nothing. Suddenly,we had to be prepared for the National Games, she added. The team captain,Smita Kumari,said that was when they decided to win at least a medal in the competition. That would be our biggest gift to Manisha. If she had been there,we could have won gold or silver. But we are happy with bronze also,at least we kept our promise, she said. It wasnt Manisha alone they were missing. They had lost a few more players. who pulled out after the incident. Manisha was an important member of our team. She was the main person in the cover chain and without her,our cover was lost. It affected the team a lot during the matches, Smita said. Luck too played its part. They got a walkover against Andhra Pradesh in the first game,then lost to Haryana,before bouncing back against Tamil Nadu in dramatic fashion to win 23-22 in the last minute. They lost a close fight to Maharashtra in the semis but managed to hang on for a bronze. When Manisha was shot,there was a good chance of our families stopping us from travelling for the Games. Ghar wale to bole the ki ab aur mat khelo. Par humne samjhaya ki jo hua wo sabke sath nahi hota. Aur accident to kahin bhi ho sakta hai, Manisha,an 18-year-old student of class 12th,explained. It may have been a tragic accident that took away one of their most talented player but at the National Games,Bihar women proved themselves stronger than adversity.
