Pushpa Singh: 'Only a few of us champions are left, the rest are out'
Born in May 1947, Singh has been playing competitive games for most of her life.
At 79, Pushpa Singh is still enjoying the game of koat pees. On a rainy evening in her Ghaziabad apartment complex, a table has become the focal point of a championship tournament. The newspaper is spread across the table, partially hidden by mobile phones, glasses, and keys. Around the table, players are seated with their cards, while others watch from behind.
At 79, Singh stands by the table, posing for a photo while holding her cards. She is in the semi-final, having played three rounds this week alongside her partner, Priya Sachan. "Only a few of us champions of koat pees are left, the rest are out," she declares. If Singh and her partner win, the final will be held later that night.
The winners will receive their prizes on Independence Day, marking the 79th anniversary of India's freedom. Born in 1947, Singh has been playing competitive games throughout her life. As a schoolgirl in Bijnor district, her father encouraged her to play, saying, "Go play." Growing up during India's early years of independence, she participated in district tournaments, often venturing out without her parents.
By Class 8, Singh was already a javelin champion in Nagina's Dayanand Vaidik Kanya Inter College. She competed in various sports, traveling to multi-day tournaments with fellow athletes, staying in hostels and wearing salwar suits and white dupattas tied around their waists. After Class 12, at 20, Singh married a public works department engineer.
Her husband's postings took the family to various towns, and her sporting life changed. In Nainital, she took rowing lessons, rowing solo on Naini Lake in a sari. In another town, she saw men playing badminton and encouraged her women friends to join. Despite the changes in her life, Singh's passion for sport remains, now finding expression in bridge and card games like Paplu with her retired husband.
Her daughters have also embraced active lifestyles, with one daughter trekking to Everest Base Camp and the other practicing yoga.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
