Meet Mamta Gujjar, Google football icon breaking stereotypes one kick at a time

Her first tryst with the game did not include proper attire, as she arrived at the ground wearing a salwar suit and slippers, her coach Sudhir Joseph reminisced when speaking to ETV Bharat.

Ajmer: The menace of child marriage seems to have found a strong opponent in Mamta Gujjar, based out of Hasiyawas village, in Rajasthan's Ajmer district. Gurjar, who has been selected as Google's most recent woman icon, has broken through several layers of societal restrictions to finally pursue her career in football and aim towards a brighter future.

Growing up in Hasiyawas, a remote corner of Ajmer far away from floodlit stadiums of the cities, Gujjar was all of 15 when she first entered a football ground after being scouted by the members of the Mahila Jan Adhikar Samiti. Her maiden tryst with the game did not include proper attire, as she arrived at the ground wearing a salwar suit and slippers, her coach Sudhir Joseph reminisced when speaking to ETV Bharat.

"She was not used to the game, as back home her work consisted of giving water to animals and harvesting crops. It was not easy for her to play, as traditional family positions were also a hindrance for her. The family members did not want their daughters to play football. Mamta was given her football kit and shoes by the members of Mahila Jan Adhikar Samiti. At that time, the district football association had set up camps in Ajmer. It is only when they saw other girls playing football wearing shorts, did the attitude of her family changed towards the game. She recently returned after playing for the senior national girl's team in Kerala", Joseph stated.

Inspired by her story of struggle, Google deemed her one of the women's football icons. Mamta's sister Kanchan, too, is a talented player, Joseph said. The number extended to as many as 250 girls in the district, as girls in nearby villages such as Chachiawas, Tenvo ki Dhani, Padampura and Kekdi came forward, getting inspired by Gujjar's indomitable spirit as well as financial assistance from the district football association.

The struggle, however, lingers around Joseph, who explains that he has to travel to the Hasiyawas school playground, 35 km away, every day in order to train Gujjar. "It is a matter of pride for all of us that Google has chosen Mamta Gujjar as an icon of women's football. This will boost the confidence of other girls as well and give them a sense of progress", he said.