Anushka Jana

Artistic gymnastics is a treat to watch at any game – from the beautiful costumes to the mind-boggling feats on the floor. However, the most important parts of the discipline are usually the things we do not see – the practice and the physical strength, the control and coordination, the flexibility and agility and most importantly, the dedication. Anushka Jana, the 10-year-old artistic gymnast from Hooghly in Bengal embodies all these qualities. Anushka tells us the story of how she got into artistic gymnastics – and it isn’t the one you’d expect. As a child, she was particularly restless and active. In a bid to find outlets for all the energy the little one had, her parents enrolled her in her first gymnastics class at a centre near their house. Anushka was three and a half years old then, and she hasn’t looked back since. For one as graceful, energetic and active as her, Anushka is a shy child, choosing not to speak too much. However, ask her to speak about her future plans in gymnastics and her eyes light up. Even at 10, she has a single-minded focus on making a mark on the world gymnastics stage and representing India at the Olympics. She has also chalked out her roadmap for the same, putting in the hard work required, winning at the district, state, national, Asian and world level, and finally becoming a part of the Olympics team from India. In addition to winning multiple medals for Artistic gymnastics, Anushka has also competed in rhythmic gymnastics, though that is not her chosen category. She credits her parents and her trainers with motivating her and encouraging her to do better. With their support, Anushka has set her heart on following gymnastics and one day, winning gold at the Olympics.