Olympics
Shruti Daga: Inspiring India's Next Generation of Female Athletes
Shruti Daga is a young Indian woman who is inspired to help change the landscape for women's sport in India and beyond.
Image Credits: Shruti Daga's LinkedIn Account
At only 25 years old, Shruti Daga has already made a tremendous impact as both an athlete and sports management professional in India. In a recent interview with SportsBoom, Daga discussed her athletic career, goals to empower women in sports, and pathway to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
From National Champion to Sports Manager
Daga's passion for sports started early, competing nationally in track from age 12. She went on to star for her college teams in athletics and football:
“I think sports became such important part of my life where I realised that, you know, it's just not about playing, I think that could be further more to it. And then I decided that okay, you know, I could make a career in the management side."
Seeing an opportunity to give back and affect change, Daga pivoted into sports management, and has her eyes set on the bigger picture for India.
Facing Challenges as a Woman in Indian Sports
As a woman forging her career in sports, Daga admitted “it's not been an easy journey.” She highlighted ingrained cultural biases, saying her family pushed her toward business over sports.
“I think it took a very, very long time for everyone to understand that, okay, you know, a woman can make a career out of sports."
But Daga persisted, determined to follow her passion and leave a legacy:
“It’s just initially about believing in yourself, understanding where you're coming from, understanding what you really want from life and what you really wanna give back to the sport."
“It’s just initially about believing in yourself, understanding where you're coming from, understanding what you really want from life and what you really wanna give back to the sport."
Shruti Daga on finding her motivation
Lifting Up India's Next Generation
Now pursuing her master's degree in the UK, Daga aims to inspire young women entering sports back home:
“I've been invited by my university to give master classes to students in regards to understanding …what sort of a career path can students make or,…what are the changes that we really need to bring in India, in regards to sports. So that's been, that's been like a.. motivational journey at the same time.”
Though progress has been slow, Daga is optimistic that attitudes are shifting, providing more opportunities for female athletes.
Olympic Dreams with the IOC
Looking ahead, Daga has set her sights on bringing her experience and perspective to the IOC. She hopes to forge stronger partnerships between the IOC and Indian Olympic Association to elevate India on the global sports stage.
“IOC is my ultimate goal and, I would really wanna be a part of the IOC and help the partnerships with the IOA. At the same time, I also wanna do something for women in sports in India."
At just 25, Daga has already accomplished a tremendous amount. Her passion and perseverance set an inspiring example for the next generation of Indian women pursuing careers in athletics and sports management. SportsBoom looks forward to watching Shruti Daga and her commitment to women’s sport.
Wade McElwain is our Mr. NFL, a bona fide North American sports nut who knows about NBA, NHL, MLB, PGA plus MMA boxing and more. Originally from Canada, Wade is also an international award-winning stand-up comedian; host of numerous TV game shows; and a TV producer & writer. He also runs NFL in London-the largest NFL fan group in Europe, and has hosted NFL events at Wembley and around the world. Yes, he lives alone and does nothing but watch sports.