Adivasi Girls from Tea Garden in Indian Rugby Team

Swapna Oraon and Chandra Oraon from the tea garden represented India at the Asian Development Rugby Seven Series Tournament held in Chennai on February 20 and 21. Adivasi girls were the part of national women's rugby team, who won Bronze medal in the tournament. Teams from Nepal, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Guam and Indonesia participated in the tournament.

Their success story begins from Saraswatipur Tea Estate were all women players for the Jalpaiguri district team were selected. Around nine players from the tea garden have represented Bengal and participated in the national rugby championship held in Hooghly last year. Eight players were picked up from the national tournament from which five players were from the tea estate and three from Calcutta for the trial in Chennai. After the trial Swapna and Chandra were selected among the first 12 players of the Indian team.

Swapna proudly says that tea estates in Jalpaiguri can breed national-level rugby players. However, Suren Oraon, Chandra's father who earns Rs 4,800 a month express his happiness at the same time inability to provide proper diet to his daughter as required by sportsperson hurts him. Parents of both the girls work in Saraswatipur Tea Estate in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal.

Swapna is a student of Class XI and Chandra studies in Class X at Gazaldoba High School yet these young girls set an example to many Adivasi youth who are unable to break the bondages of tea garden.

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