IWB has taken up its share of responsibility in impacting a change for Indian sportswomen and supplying them with the right dose of encouragement and motivation.
We believe that every sports team deserves an anthem! With the same conviction, we initiated our unique campaign, ‘The Locker Room Talk.’ Under the campaign, we connected with the Indian women’s Rugby, Ice Hockey, Football and Kabaddi teams and, through expansive and comprehensive conversations, tried to get acquainted with them.
Based on our interactions with these teams, our in-house vocalist/songwriter Komal Panwar has sculpted a very personal anthem for them. These songs reflect their passion while encompassing their energies.
We shared with these teams a common questionnaire, so as to get to the core of their spirits and understand the basic challenges faced by them. Their answers helped us assimilate the very essence of their teams and transcend them into exhilarating anthems.
As we share these anthems, we want the entire nation to broaden its horizons, give these women’s teams, that lurk at the precipice of oblivion, a chance to shine through and chant their team anthems, in unison and aloud. Let us all represent them with as much pride as they take in representing India.
The Indian Women Rugby Team’s anthem is the first one out and we have carefully crafted the song based on our conversations with the team. For instance, the song gives the impression of a “strong, passionate, and resilient” team, three words that the team feels best describes them.
Refer, for instance, to the following lyrics:
Utar gaye maidaan mein, hum chal pade ek raag mein,
Saath hain jab tak khade, har jung hai aasaan re.
Har chunauti jeet jaayenge hai itni jaan re,
Our rugby team lives by the quote, “Great things never come from the comfort zone,” and we have ensured to encompass the same spirit in their anthem. “For a sport like ours, support is a very integral part, as it is for any sport,” says the team and so does our anthem through the lyrics “Desh jo khada ho saath, dur na mukaam re (when the nation supports us, there is no goal which remains unattainable).”
Excited to listen to the entire anthem? Here is the full song:
When we reached out to Vahbiz Bharucha, Indian Women Rugby 15-a-side Team’s Captain, to seek her opinion on the anthem, she said, “The music is very impactful. The instance I listened to it, I felt like it was meant for our team. The same is the case with the lyrics, there is a punch in them. When the public listens to it, they will understand the energy and push that our team has.”
She added, “The lyrics are just apt for the sport. They resonate with our situation and the fact that despite the hardships, we will keep striving and moving ahead.”
She also shared her personal favourite part of the song. Vahbiz said, “It has to be the part where Komal sings India, India. It adds a very goosebump-y element to the anthem.”
Neha Pardeshi, Rugby 7-a-side Team’s Captain, reiterated similar views as she said, “The anthem is really, really good. It is very empowering. I really liked how impactfully and powerfully the lyrics have been written. They bring out the spirit of our team.”
A big shout-out to our partners – EPIC TV Channel, Oateo Oats, HRX, Gold’s Gym India, for joining us in solidarity and helping us in exploring the challenging road for India’s sportswomen.
We have more sports rush coming your way! Stay tuned for the rest of the anthems.