Hima Das

I wanted to play football and wear the Indian jersey, but there was no women's football team.

I want for every child - regardless of their background, gender, caste, etc. - to be able to access schools that are safe and supportive so that they can learn and thrive.

Forget the past, and ask me what's next.

I don't care how my past was or what I had to go through.

For every athlete, Olympics is the target, but mine is a little different. I am focusing on improving my timing; that's what I think about.

Even Sachin used to get ducks during his career. There are ups and downs in every athlete's career.

The biggest challenge of my career has always been to improve my timing, and it will always be so.

Everyone needs to support AFI. Since they are doing an excellent job, we need to reach greater heights.

I live in a joint family with 17 members under one roof. My father is an MA, but he didn't get a job, because all his certificates got destroyed when our house caught fire. So my father took up farming - fish farming and vegetable farming.

Good athletes will be there at good competitions, but I don't think about them; I just think of bettering my own time.

I thrive in competition. It feels good to improve timings and create records.

I am hurt that some people criticise very harshly without even realising the hardships which we go through.