Their backgrounds don't lower heights they scale

BIJAPUR: Off the ground these six girls look timid, but throw in a basketball and leave them on the field and their persona changes entirely.

Anisa Khalifa, Heena Makandar, Heena Khaji, Anisa Tennalli, Nasrin Makandar and Simran Khaji study at the Republic Urdu Medium Primary School and do not come from privileged backgrounds. They live in a slum behind Darbar High School in Hamjahusen Darga Jopadpatti area.

The girls are part of the 12-member under-14 team who participated and won in the district and divisional-level basketball tournaments. They also participated in the state-level tournament held in Mandya last month and came fourth.

The students are trained by Ganesh Bhosle, their physical education teacher, says that the students were initially hesitant to play. "But once we identified their talent and encouraged them, there was no stopping them," he remarks.

Team leader Nasrin Makanadar credits Bhosle for the team's success and adds that though they had no playground in their school, they practiced every day at the district stadium under the guidance of their coach.

The other members of the team are: Suraiha Inamdar, Alisa, Naziya Mulla, Raut Mulla, Umermal Makandar and Simran.