“Everyone loves to dream, but I want my dreams to chase me!” were the words of Swapna Barman living in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal.

There is a common saying, “a hungry stomach can never have a silent sleep.” This was the actual essence which added fuel within Swapna. Her stubbornness helped her overcome every barrier in her life. Eventually, it made her into a name Swapna Barman as the heptathlete. Miss Barman, an ambitious teenager creates her own destiny by doing a top podium finish in the heptathlon event at the 18th Asian Games and glorifies her Nation at the international platform.

The dilemma of Swapna Barman:
Swapna Barman, 23 was born in the remotest area known as Kaliaganj village of Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal. She belongs to a very poor family. Miss Barman’s father Panchanan Barman was a rickshaw puller, but he has been bedridden since 2013 due to sudden heart attack. At that time her family was undergoing tremendous crisis, but eventually fate did surrendered in front of her great determination and will power.

Swapna is blessed with six toes in her both feet which often creates the biggest challenge for her to find out the right pair of her shoes. Not only that extra width of her feet makes landing painful, she even could not wear her shoes for a long time.  To make the situation worse Swapna also suffered from the ankle and knee injuries which eventually kept her out of action. Despite these entire obstacles she always tried to hold her desire and be on the track of success. She started her journey as an athlete since 2008 when she was studying at Kaliyagunge Uttameshwar High school. Her sports teacher Biswajeet Majumder insisted her to step in athlete world. She even participated in several sports event at her primary level of education. Her talent was observed by Sameer Dash, a member of Jalpaiguri RSS club. In 2009 he selected Swapna and included her in his team. The actual journey was started from that day, under the supervision of coach Sukanta Sinha. She was nurtured to be an athlete. At the time of training, she started to achieve success by winning the medal on several state and national platform. Her success story found a new dimension after getting selected in SAI athletic team of Kolkata, where Subhash Sarkar was her mentor cum coach. Eventually, from that point of life, she did not look back again.

After facing lots of physical difficulties, she never thought of leaving the competition. Finally, she has clinched gold in Asian games and broke the records. May not everyone is concerned about her struggle which she has had to face before signifying India on the global platform. Even the struggle did not leave her feet at the time of the Asian Game’s final.  She was suffering from a serious toothache not only that, even her competition was against the best athlete of Asia. However, she managed everything and ultimately wore the crown of success by bagging gold.

Anguishing excitement and emotional eagerness of Swapna’s mother:
Basana Devi, mother of Swapna Barman is counting days to see her daughter’s success at the Olympics. We are going to talk about 30th July, which was one of the most successful days in Swapna’s life as she bagged gold in Asian games on that day. Here we are going to talk about her mother’s priceless reaction when her daughter was fighting in the playground surely will wonder you. Swapna’s village house had become a small pilgrimage at the time of Asian games as the visitors from her native villages crowed her house to congratulate and to give their best wishes.  However, credits of Swapna’s success lies over her family’s sacrifice and huge support which helped Swapna to perfectly establish her identity within a long race of success irrespective of all the sufferance of her life. Her mother Basanadevi took over all the family responsibilities on her shoulder after her husband fell ill. This fifty around woman worked double time as a tea- garden worker and as a housemaid only to suffice the income. After Swapna’s father’s bedridden condition, the time seemed to be a roller coaster ride for Basanadevi. Yet she never gave up. She told, “I worked in a tea garden, but the wages were very meagre. It was really difficult to manage roti for six members of my family. Then I decided to do the job of a housemaid. Doing overtime in the double shift I tried to earn basic money for my family. We were unable to give nutritious food to Swapna due to poverty which is considered as the basic requirement for a sports person. But we always tried to support Swapna to follow her dream after knowing her interest in sports. Basana Devi also told about her coach Subhash Sarkar. Even her family believes without Subhas sir’s guidance it was not possible for her to stay in the track of success. 

When other villagers assembled at Swapna Barman’s house to watch her competition on television, her mother was busy worshipping Goddess Kali. Swapna’s mother broke down with tears in front of God while Swapna was competing with others, even bearing severe toothache. Basana Devi while she was sharing her success story with us, her proud eyes often glittered with the tears. Even on the final day of Asian games, she spoke to her mother once from Jakarta over the telephone. Bearing all physical pain, she firmly told her mother ‘‘don’t worry ma, I will give my best to win this competition.’’ Despite having several difficulties she ultimately ran over it and wore the gold medal of Asian games. She proved her capabilities in front of the world which undoubtedly make us proud. Now Basana Devi is waiting to see her daughter’s success by bagging gold even in Olympics. She even conveyed that bagging gold in Olympic will help Swapna to quench her thirst for success. 

Subhash Sarkar belongs to Ghughudanga, Jalpaiguri. He has 20 years of experience as a coach. Once to spend his holiday he was in Jalpaiguri and from there only he heard of Swapna Barman through their native. He went to her village and was surprised by her determination and how she has been continuing her practice of high jump with the help of a temporary bamboo structure made by her father.

At that time, he determined to give guidance to Swapna. Coach Subhash technically trained Swapna at Jalpaiguri sports complex and Swapna’s mother uses to help her reach there. Later Subhash took her to Kolkata and there she was selected and started her journey from Sports Authority of India in 2011. Her coach shared the memory of choosing shoes for Swapna and shared how difficult it was to look out for a perfect pair as she has six toes.  While he was sharing this memory, he added that after searching the whole day for a perfect pair of shoes in the right size he even went to a shoe shop that makes shoes. Although now Adidas has taken up the responsibility to design a special kind of comfortable shoes for her.  Basana Barman approached Subhash Sarkar to bear all the expenses for Swapna.

 Even Swapna further has shown her gratitude towards her coach, by refusing to join Patiala coaching complex for International games. She affirmed to the National athletic coach, ‘I want to continue my practice only under the guidance of Subhash sir; otherwise, I will leave my passion’. Undoubtedly such words echo her faith and gratitude towards her coach. She even left the stadium due to her protest and went back to her home. Then her family members persuaded her, and she returned to SAI complex. Although, her coach didn’t want to recall the memory of those struggle days.

Under his guidance, Swapna changed the record of Kavya Muthna at the 29th National Level Junior Athletic Championship and she captured the fifth position in 2014 Asian Games which was held at Incheon. Ultimate crown of success which she wore in 2017 was by bagging gold at the International platform. He congratulated her for her success in Rahul Dravid’s organisation ‘Go Sports’. Even the shared his experience of how Go sports organisation helped her to cure her leg’s injury. While Subhash Sarkar was sharing the memory of Jakarta he told on 30th July after seeing her leg’s condition, “I was becoming hopeless about her success, but her strong determination proved me wrong and made me proud. At that time when I got to know Swapna’s leg was totally injured, I was totally shocked, my situation was like falling down from the sky. With the help of Go sports, we were able to contact Mumbai specialist and they warned that if she sits down at the time ongoing event, her knees would be locked. If she avoids sitting, then only she could play. After getting this last ray of hope we started our journey to Jakarta. At that time, she was unable to do her practice due to her injury, still, she did her practice by doing continuous swimming. Not only that, even at Jakarta she was suffering from a major toothache. For which a full-day practice was postponed.  Now he is concerned about her Olympics’ success. Before Olympic, in April another most awaited event Asian championship which will be held at Dohai is of a major priority to Swapna.

For her success in international platform Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee awarded her with ‘Banga Ratna’ and had announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for her, along with the offer of a job. She refused the job after consulting her coach.

Interview session with Swapna Barman:

• Q: Another big challenge is breathing over your neck. Would you like to share how is your practising session going on for this most awaiting challenge?

Ans: Currently, I am on the final track of my practice. I am preparing under the proper guidance of my coach Subash sir at Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centre. Although I am confident but still hope for the best! 

• Q: You have bagged gold at Asian championship in 2017 at Bhubaneshwar. Recently, another Asian championship is going to be held in Patiala. Hopefully, if you win gold you will shine as a first Indian woman heptathlete. So, you have that opportunity to script the history. My question to you is, do you feel any mental pressure in this context?

Ans: I never take the pressure of making records. I was not even aware of such records. Although I got to know from you, I am still going to assure you that the pressure of creating records will never haunt me.    

• Q: Will your coach Subhash Sarkar be accompanying you in your journey for a new score at Asian Game?

Ans: Definitely. Sir will take me there. Not only that, but he will also travel to Dohai with me for the Asian championship events. His presence gives me a lot of support and confidence to overcome any kind of challenge.

• Q: What was on your mind mostly, while you were getting ready for the final Asian track? Throw some light on it.

Ans: I am never chased by success. My passion for playing always pushed me to be on track irrespective of the entire odd barriers. After that, several National level successes changed my vision. Now, the Olympics’ success vision always haunts me. While I was on my practising time before 2017 Asian Games, I always sought for winning a medal. When I was on the track of Asian championship I remembered one thing that, chance never came to me. I had only lived to have one option. I need to show my best potentiality ever on this track. Finally, now I am really pleased but more miles to go.

• Q: Now everyone is admiring your success. If you may remember a few days ago Deepa Karmakar was becoming centre of celebration. After few days the scenario totally changed.  Winning the race once is good but holding that position is really difficult. Would you like to share a few words regarding this?

Ans: Yes I got it, what you are trying to mean. It is really difficult to stay in limelight all the time. But I have reached this position after crossing long hurdles. I am aware of it. My confidence is my coach, as he is with me.  I don’t think I need to be worried about these things.

• Q: Miss Barman, I know you are the sculptor of your own dreams. Is Olympic your next target?

Ans: Obviously Olympics is my next target. I know I need to face lots of difficulties to get success in this platform. Still, I believe ‘nothing is impossible’. My final target is obviously Olympics. But another most awaiting championship is going to be held at Dohai in April 2019. Now my total focus lies over this coming competition.

• Q: After getting success at the international level you were offered with a good job. But I heard you refused this offer. Would you please tell me the reason behind taking such a decision?

Ans: I always do work after consulting my coach Subhash Sarkar. Sir told me if I started to do a job somehow my focus will be diverted. He always influenced me by telling that job is not my priority, rather winning medal should be my main focus.  So, my total focus will be more practising and not in earning money. Today I can realise it that sir’s decision was not wrong.

• Q: You have been felicitated by the state Govt. of West Bengal with a flat in Kolkata. Will it help in your further practice in Kolkata?

Ans: Yes, you are right. I told our Chief Minister about my sufferance and wanted to stay in Kolkata. I’m really thankful to her for this precious gift. I’m really happy.

• Q: I hear you are a good singer too.

Ans: No, no, not at all. But I love to sing folksongs. Usually, in free time I love listening and singing a folk song.

• Q: Where do you see yourself in few years from now?

Ans: I wish my injury will be totally cured and I want to go more miles. One more thing, I want to be the cause of my family’s happiness. I will do my level best to make them smile.