Women and Sports: Women way-makers and their success trajectories!

Image Source

The latest statistical reports show that there has been a steady and constant increase in women athletes in all major sports events. The number of women athletes at the Olympic Games is approaching 50 per cent. Since 2012, women have participated in every Olympic sport at the Games. All the new sports to be included in the Games must contain women’s events.  Despite all this, researchers have looked into the proportion of coverage allotted to women’s sport by both print and broadcast media and found it to average about 4%. This abysmal level has been persistent – rarely reaching over 10%!

So why is this disparity between involvement and exposure? Women got the opportunity to be a part of the sports world much later than men, leading to people taking men's sport as the default. Following this, it's just a vicious cycle of less interest due to the newness leading to less coverage leading to less interest and so on.

There have been many who have tried and succeeded in breaking this cycle. Here are some inspired stories of successful women athletes because of whom there is an increasingly positive attitude and exposure among the society.

Bhakti Sharma

Bhakti Sharma – the “Mermaid” is the youngest and the first Asian woman to hold the world record for swimming in the water of Antarctica. She has been awarded ‘The Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award’ for swimming 2.4 kilometres in 41.4 minutes in frigid water as cold as 1 degree Celsius.28-years-old Bhakti, belonging to the city of Udaipur, became the second and the youngest swimmer to swim in four oceans. The most inspiring thing about her is that she has been coached since the age of 2 by her mother Leela Sharma, who was a national medal-winning swimmer herself. Leela did not follow the parochial mentality of the society which made Bhakti achieve great height.

Swapna Barman

Swapna Barman, a woman in Heptathlon, did not have to leave her home to pursue her career or practice but her financial struggles did not make her life any easier. Born in a below poverty line family, Swapna's father was a van-puller but he lost his livelihood after he suffered a cerebral attack and it was difficult for Swapna's mother, who worked as a daily labourer at the tea gardens, to make ends meet. But, after her fantastic performance in Jakarta, things are looking slightly better for her as the state government has announced monetary rewards to aid her. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee called up Swapna's mother and congratulated her. She also announced a cash award of Rs 10 lakhs apart from an executive post in the government for the gutsy athlete.

Malathi Krishnamurthy Holla

Malathi Krishnamurthy Holla – “My self-confidence is not paralyzed” is an international Para Athlete who has won over 400 medals for India. When she was an infant, she suffered polio, for which she had to undergo various therapies and multiple surgeries. Her ortho treatment followed various shock therapies for her to regain her lost strength. Despite this, she has won 389 golds, 27 silvers and 5 bronzes at International and National events, most of them on a rented wheelchair. Still, at the age of 56, she is the fastest female Indian athlete in a wheelchair.

An interview quotes her saying “I don’t think I am a disabled person. Of course, I am one, physically, but that is just one part of my body. My self-confidence is not paralyzed”. She also adds that “I believe in reinventing myself and learning new things. The only disability in someone can be an Inferiority complex .”

Vismaya Velluva Koroth

Vismaya Velluva Koroth, Women’s 4x400m relay race, Gold winner in the 9th National Open Athletics Championship, is a daughter of a construction labourer. Vismaya Velluva Koroth was pivotal to India’s triumph in the 4x400m relay. She was the last runner and was up against Salwa Eid Naser – in her first international race, Vismaya pipped the Asian sprint queen and ensured India finished with their fifth straight gold medal in the event.

We have so few women sportspersons in our primary GK books. We witness an ample number of instances in athletics in which women aren’t given the recognition and money that they deserve, as a result, they feel left out and unattended. In regular T20 Cricket matches, there is a substantial amount of crowd during men’s matches but sadly in women’s match, there is an iota of spectators to cheer them up. There should be serious provisions made by both the Central and State governments to motivate more and more women to take part in sports. Our Indian Constitution lays down certain laws regarding the participation of women in sports but they haven’t been much widespread. Schools, at the grassroots, should persuade them to take active participation and conduct tournaments.

This is high time when society needs to continuously highlight the essential phrase “Women and sports.”

-by

Akshita Parihar

Member, WiB

Small Businesses in Covid world

 Image Source

As each drop on its own fills the vast ocean, similarly the small businesses- though neglected as of the margins for they are of just “another entrepreneurial or adventurous enterprise” or are of a “gambler’s gambit”- holds the key to unlocking the inherent economic power of India that else lies unmined in a rather inchoate state. This however also establishes the trend that while Indian economy is projected to shrink by 7 percent as per FY21, the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) (as per the credit rating agency) will be subsequently projected as to incur 1/5th loss in their revenues due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Now, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s programme through $40 billion of  government-guaranteed loans are set to help small businesses or the “80 percent of the small business surveyed predicted they will survive and come out of it on the other side even if Covid worsens a bit” (Manoj Adlakha, SVP and Chief Executive Officer, American Express Banking Corp India told BusinessLine)  depicts an optimistic outlook however the reality does stand on the worrying figures of instability ahead.

 

In the Blueprint’s 2021 survey of 275 small and mid-sized business owners and managers based in the USA, only 6% reported a positive impact of COVID while 46% were moderately negatively impacted and the majority 48% were severely negatively impacted. Thus, 94% SMBs or small businesses in total detail of negative impacts, wherein majorly the restaurant, retail, legal, non-profit, and healthcare and medical services sectors were affected. It is also to be noted that 42 percent of small businesses in India for the same American Express survey hope to find consumer spending returning within the next three months. To stay “afloat” they “expect” the “consumer spending to return for their businesses” by the end of the year (Manoj Adlakha). This indicates that while in India an optimistic overview will be healthy however the prime focus will be the healthy entertainment of the consumer market. Moreover, the loans guaranteed by the government for the funding of SMBs also show inadequacies for they are not sufficient to save the MSMEs and may only imply a larger debt on the shoulders of the owners. The credit lines inherently also do not ensure that the bankers will lend loans to the SMBs and thus indicate that a rather timely aid would be of interest waivers on loans or of cutting of goods and service taxes.

 

All India Manufacturers’ Organisation survey in July of 2020 indicated that more than a third of small and medium enterprises said that their businesses were beyond any rescue. This is majorly because the SMB rely on a few months of cash flow and hence stand without much resource reserve to support the chain of goods and services that are interlinked via their business. To succinctly tackle the issue a subjugation to the digital world is a must. E-learning as a hub has recently built millions worth of turnover say by Vedantu or by Byjus in India which inadvertently stipulates the new rise of the internet consumer culture. A digital footing over the goods and services of SMBs would propose a fast track world and may reflect a future without a supply chain or say direct consumer end marketing. To prepare for this new future a financial plan that could acknowledge diversified revenue streams and meet new customers is required. Moreover, a better and newer understanding to meet the consumer market by either upskilling of employees or by using far-reaching mediums like social media to propagate business is important. Needless to say, human resources will always be an asset and while providing, comprehending and establishing the means to mould so to make a richer and healthier outlook for one’s own business one, as the manager or the owner of SMBs one should not neglect their physical, emotional and mental responsibilities as an individual and as a member of a community. Alas as the Covid19 has posed a crisis not only to the physical front but also at the financial front, the securing of SMBs presents as a priority to intercept.

-by

Shreya Rawat

Member,WiB

SOCIAL MEDIA: The most important facet of business today

 

                                                                        Image Source

Billions of people worldwide use social media. Most of these people cannot imagine their life without social media. The digital world, especially its fast-growing social media trends, is overwhelming. To bring real value and revenue to your business, you need to be able to reach people and social media is the easiest and the most cost-efficient, way to do so. There are billions of people out there waiting to hear about what you can offer as a business. Social media forms an essential part of a business’s marketing strategy. Its power is commendable as you get to reach a large number of people within seconds of posting an advertisement. It allows you to reach people locally, regionally, nationally and even internationally. If you are not applying this profitable source, you are missing out on a fantastic marketing opportunity, because it makes it easy to spread the word about your product and mission.

Your organization is solely responsible for distributing your message through most conventional (and even some online) marketing campaigns. Your flyers may be passed around, and an email newsletter may be forwarded once in a while, but these events do not occur often enough to have an effect on your campaigns. Sharing is encouraged through social media marketing, which can have a major effect on your business. Social platforms connect you with your customers as it makes it easier for the customers to find you and connect with you. Connecting with your customers boosts your sales and growth. It provides an excellent opportunity to establish customer service by gathering input, answering questions and listening to their feedback. It helps you in keeping up with this fast-pacing world, where trends change within seconds. Social media is relevant because it helps your followers to easily share your promotions and content with their friends. Even if they don't share your posts directly, they will promote you and drive traffic to your social media pages or website. This is immensely beneficial since most customers place a higher value on reviews from friends and family than from companies themselves. It is one of the most stress-free and profitable digital marketing platforms that can be used to increase your business visibility. It is possibly the most cost-effective way. Creating an account and signing up is free for almost all social networking platforms. Being cost-effective is important as it helps you attain a greater return on investment and hold a bigger budget for other marketing and business payments. Whatever industry you're in, social media gives you the chance to position yourself as a thought leader—the go-to source for information on topics important to your niche.

Image Source

It's been clear for a long time that social networking platforms are an integral part of our 21st-century lifestyle, and the prevalence of social media networks shows no signs of waning anytime soon. That means they'll continue to be an important piece of the puzzle if you want to develop the company in the months and years ahead. Different people use different social media platforms for different purposes, so deciding which sites are right for you and why your target audience is present on them is a vital part of learning how to use social media for business. Facebook is suitable for content with a higher degree of interaction and softer sells. Showing behind-the-scenes updates and the names and faces of the actual people behind your brand, as well as photographs and videos, works well. Instagram is another excellent spot to grow your business through engagement and brand awareness as opposed to outright sales. LinkedIn is an excellent place to get a little more sales-y while still delivering high-quality material. Pinterest is especially common among the arts and crafts community, wedding planners, and fashion designers, so if your company falls into one of those groups, marketing to Pinterest users might be a good idea. Twitter is a perfect place to share and comment on breaking news, as well as live-tweeting events and offering customer support. Working with influencers, developing affiliate partners, conducting giveaways and competitions, going live, using stories to promote your product and evolving through experimenting can prove social media to be an essential part of your business. If you're having trouble implementing a social media marketing plan, you can always employ an agency to assist you, and the gig economy allows you to hire specialist content creators such as graphic designers and filmmakers for one-time positions rather than hiring them on a permanent basis.

Remember, perseverance is key. There will be good days and bad days and the journey through social media is going to be a rollercoaster ride – so be prepared for ups, downs and flips too!

-by

Apoorva Singh

Member, WiB