THE CURIOUS CASE OF DUTEE CHAND
“I didn’t know anything about the rules and regulations [regarding Section 377], but a madam told me that if a girl is in a relationship with another girl, they can’t be put in jail. That gave me a lot of courage and hope when I finally decided to come out.”
In 2012, a diminutive 16-year-old girl from Chaka Gopalpur—a small village in Jajpur district of Odisha—broke the national record in the Under-18 category by clocking 11.8 seconds at the 100m event. In 2013, she became the first Indian woman to reach the 100m final at the World Youth Championships. Subsequently, at the National Senior Athletics Championships that year, she became the national champion in the 100m (11.73 seconds) and 200m category (23.73 seconds).
Thus began the journey of one of India’s finest athletes. Dutee Chand had arrived.
We’re at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar (Odisha), for ’s digital cover shoot. It’s been raining for hours. The stadium authorities have allocated a small room (the only one with an AC) for our use. Our first impression of Dutee, as she walks in with her brother Rabindra Chand, is that she’s reserved, which can be one of them.
