Best bet from the backwaters

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During a casual visit to her aunt’s place in Alappuzha, two years ago, Anusha Biju was fascinated by the oarsmen who skilfully manoeuvred their canoes through the narrow backwater streams of Punnamada, a phenomenon she had never seen in her hilly, misty village of Wayanad.

She decided to learn kayaking at the age of 14 despite the many hardships that were involved, the first being that she had to learn how to swim! Now aged 16, Anusha has made her presence felt in this field.

After almost one year’s training at the Sports Authority of India centre in Alappuzha, Anusha won a silver medal in a national championship last year in the 200 m K1 sub-junior category. And when the national championship is held in Bengaluru next month Anusha is tipped to be Kerala’s best bet for gold.

“You will be surprised at her sheer determination. Unlike most other rowers who come from in and around Alappuzha, where rowing is a part of their lives, Anusha had to make a fresh start and she did all this without any compulsion,” said senior SAI coach, Ajay Kumar.

Apparently all the other 44 members of the state canoeing and kayaking team are from Alappuzha where rowing comes to them naturally.

So how did this desire to compete in such an alien field come about? Says this young teenager from Mananthavady, “One of my aunts, who goes by the name Beena Peter, is a former athlete. She is Ajay sir’s friend and was in Alappuzha. When I read about the SAI centre inviting applicants, I told my aunt that I was interested and attended the trials,” says Anusha.

“Luckily I passed the tests even though there was another girl from Wayanad competing. Initially, I found myself in a different world, but I felt no fear and I am glad my trainers supported me during those early days,” she said.

Anusha says she hardly misses her family in Wayanad. “I feel that this was my true calling. I was meant to row and it is my dream to win a medal for the country at a major international event.”