Bhavani smashed the iron curtain of mediocrity and stunned world’s no 1 fencer Emura
By D N Singh
At last the woman student of Kalinga Institute of Industrial technology(KIIT) Bhubaneswar, Bhavani Devi of Chennai smashed the iron curtain of hurdles to emerge as the first Indian woman to bag a medal.
On June 19 this year a new history was scripted when Bhavani Devi became the most successful as a fencer by beating her Japanese opponent Misaki Emura the current world no 1 to become the first ever Indian women to win a medal in hencing in the Asian Fencing Championship winning the bronze.
In fact in many coverage of this deserving feat by Bhavani what was conspicuously missing was her one major mentor or harbinger behind the glory.
Bhavani Devi joined KIIT University in the PhD management programme in the year 2020. Sensing her inner abilities in sports the KIIT founder, Dr Achyut Samant, welcomed her to study with free education and stay at Bhubaneswar.
The smoldering ember of her inclination towards sports brought her to the premise and she chose the most difficult of all that is, fencing in which no Indian had ever dared to enter.
KIIT saw to it that Bhavani gets all that training and mentorship from home and abroad to get initiated to the fencing.
KIIT provided her the scholarship during her stay and which she continues to avail, besides bearing all the expenses of her training abroad in Italy and other countries. A rare international exposer an athelet badly requires.
In all those programmes KIIT bore her entire expenses like air travel, hotel stay and trainings and backing her in taking part in several international competitions.
Getting through all undulations on 19, 2023 she broke out of the inhibitions of all complexes to beat the number one fencer in the world Misaki Emura of Japan whom Bhavani stunned that day.
KIIT has taken the achievement of Bhavani as one of its rare accomplishments in shooting up talents to the fame and glory.
