Ladakh’s Shanaz Parveen kicks her way to global taekwondo stage

Clad in her all-white taekwondo overalls, Shahnaz Parveen stepped onto the mat at the Messe Essen Halle in Germany for a momentous occasion. The first woman from Ladakh to represent India at the FISU World University Games, she was eyeing a famous win.

Poomsae, the discipline of taekwondo where Shahnaz’s expertise lies, requires athletes to perform a choreographed sequence akin to rhythmic gymnastics but one that simulates fighting techniques. Unlike the extravagant gymnastics outfits though, taekwondo athletes don traditional doboks sans embellishments.

“My scarf and the Indian Flag add a pop of colour to the all-whites,” says Shanaz, beaming with pride. Indeed, the headscarf and the Tricolour are both essential parts of Shahnaz’s identity.

‘Girls don’t kick’

Growing up in the hamlet of Sankoo, Kargil, Shanaz led a sheltered life early. It was unsurprising then that she found herself instantly drawn to taekwondo when she watched girls throwing punches and kicks during a school workshop.

Resistance to her picking up a combat sport, however, was stern given the conservative views of those around her. “Girls don’t kick”, “Girls don’t wear track pants”, those were the common sentiments that the youngster was met with early on.

“Taekwondo gave me an outlet. I was always an active child and the sport felt like the right fit for me so I persevered even as others who started out with me chose other, more conventional fields,” Shanaz says, noting that her early district and state-level medals is when things began to change.

“My family came around after seeing the joy that taekwondo brought me. Soon, my mother was waking up before me to ensure that I don’t miss a session,” she recalls.

As the stage kept getting bigger, the training also became more rigorous. Shanaz soon shifted base to Kargil and was accompanied by her mother. Eventually, she landed in Jammu and under the tutelage of coach Atul Pangotra went on to script history for Ladakh by winning a National University Games gold.

Celebrating identity

With success, comes the spotlight. However, the attention wasn’t always positive for Shanaz. Her active social media account draws as much censure from conservatives as it does praise from sports enthusiasts.

The enterprising youngster, however, has stuck to her guns and continues to be unabashed about her choices. She recently collaborated with a Mumbai-based hijab store, a move that brought both financial support and gave her a platform to celebrate her identity. The hijab’s athletic fit was a game-changer too.

“Earlier, I was using pins to hold my hijab in place. The athletic hijab, with its breathable, anti-sweat fabric and no-slip design gave me the freedom to move without worry,” Shanaz says, adding that the custom hijabs came with “IND” printed on them.

Videos on the youngster’s social media show her carrying the Indian Tricolour with an infectious smile during the opening ceremony of the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany. “It still gives me goosebumps. It might be a cliche but there’s no better feeling for an athlete than to watch their flag fly high,” she says.

A crucial juncture

An untimely injury meant an early exit in Germany for Shanaz, who lost in the round-of-32 to a Croatian opponent. In a close contest, she scored 8.159 for her routine, just short of her opponent’s 8.599.

Pursuing a degree in Physical Education from the Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, the Sankoo-born will have one more shot at the University Games in two years’ time. Her plans, however, have a wider scope.

“I want to perform well on the senior circuit and I am already training for upcoming trials in Ladakh. The goal is to get a gold at the National Championships to be played in Odisha,” Shanaz says of her next steps.

Her continued representation of India on the international stage has also begun to translate into growing support back home. She was recently feted by the UT administration and also drew appreciation from Ladakh MP Hanifa Jan.

Serving as an inspiration

Giving back to the sport weighs on her mind, but underneath it all, she is also a teenager trying to find a place in the world. An avid traveller as her social media presence attests, Shanaz has found a way to combine her love for taekwondo and being on the road. She wishes to take her sport to the remotest of corners in Ladakh. “Watching fellow girls perform taekwondo was what gave me the belief that I could do the same and it will mean everything to me if I can also inspire others to take up the sport,” she says, before heading out for another training session, grabbing her phone to record a video or two for her Gram on the way.