When G Sindhushree cleared 4.25 metres and created a new national record in women’s pole vault, the stadium in Bhubaneswar erupted in applause. The 25-year-old athlete from Karnataka had just won gold at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships, broken the national record and secured qualification for the 2026 Asian Games. But before celebrating, Sindhushree did something that left many emotional. She took out a small passport-sized photograph of her late father, held it close and dedicated her biggest achievement to the man who first taught her to dream.“My father died in 2022 due to a heart attack. What I achieved today is all because of my father,” Sindhushree said after her historic jump.
Is spending lakhs on a child’s birthday party reasonable or insane?
For many parents, the moment was a reminder that the biggest contribution they make to their children’s lives is not money, facilities or opportunities. Sometimes, it is simply believing in them when nobody else does.
The father who never stopped believing
G Sindhushree secured qualification for the 2026 Asian Games.
Sindhushree’s father, R. Ganesh, worked as an electrician in Bhadravati in Karnataka’s Shivamogga district. Every morning, he would take his daughter for running practice and encourage her to pursue sports seriously. “He wanted me to play for the country in international events,” Sindhushree said.She was the first person in her family to enter competitive sports. According to the athlete, many relatives were not convinced that a girl should pursue athletics as a career. “I am the first one doing sports in my family. Other members did not want to send a girl to sports. My father fought with all of them and so I joined the SAI hostel in Bengaluru in 2016.” That decision changed her life. Many successful athletes often speak about coaches, training and talent. But behind those stories are parents who quietly challenge social expectations, take difficult decisions and stand beside their children when nobody else does. For Sindhushree, that person was her father.
The dream he could not see come true
In 2022, tragedy struck the family. Her father passed away due to a heart attack before he could see his daughter represent India internationally. “I qualified for the World University Games but my father was not there to watch me,” she said. The loss affected both the family emotionally and financially.Her mother works as a tailor, while the family struggled to manage expenses after her father’s death. Sindhushree says her grandfather stepped in to support her training and daily needs.“My grandfather is supporting me financially,” she said emotionally after her victory. For many young athletes, the biggest challenge is not talent. It is simply staying in the sport long enough despite financial difficulties.
Competing without proper equipment
Pole vault is among the most expensive events in athletics. The poles used by athletes are specialised equipment and can cost a significant amount. Sindhushree did not have one. For years, she trained and competed using shorter and worn-out poles because she could not afford proper equipment.“I didn’t have a proper pole earlier. All the poles were shorter and they had become loose after competitions,” she said. She explained that training with unsuitable equipment affected her performances and confidence. “I learned techniques with shorter poles. That was why I could not do well in earlier competitions.”Just days before the National Inter-State Championships, a friend allowed her to use a longer pole. “Luckily, I came here with a longer pole which was actually brought by a friend of mine. I got this just a few days back and I could do better here.”
From 4 metres to a national record
What makes Sindhushree’s achievement even more remarkable is how quickly her performances improved. Only weeks ago, her personal best stood at 4.00 metres. At the championships in Bhubaneswar, she cleared 4.25 metres, bettering the previous national record and securing an Asian Games qualification mark.Her coach, Vijeesh M.M., believes patience has been her greatest strength. “Her patience is her strength because the performance was not coming for many years. She was not competing with proper poles and she had financial difficulties.”
A photo that said everything
G Sindhushree. (Photo Credit: Indian Express)
In sports, medals and records often become headlines. But sometimes a single photograph tells a bigger story. A daughter standing with a gold medal in one hand and her father’s picture in the other captured years of sacrifice, struggle and faith. Many parents spend years waking children up for practice, attending competitions, paying fees, defending their dreams and encouraging them after failures. Often, those efforts remain invisible. Sindhushree’s emotional tribute showed that children remember. They remember the early mornings, the sacrifices and the people who stood beside them when success seemed far away. “It all happened because of my father. I am going to fulfil his dream with the Asian Games (participation),” she said.As she prepares for the Asian Games, Sindhushree now carries not only a national record but also the dream her father once had for her. And perhaps that is why her victory feels larger than sport itself. It is a reminder to every parent that encouragement can become a child’s greatest strength, and to every child that some dreams continue long after the people who planted them are gone.
