Actress Esha Gupta, currently in Europe completing a string of professional commitments, is elated about India’s performance at the recently concluded Olympic Games in Tokyo. The former Miss India International was a part of the National Volleyball Team and a track-and-field athlete in school. Like javelin-throw gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, she, too grew up idolising sports icons like Milkha Singh and P T Usha, the latter in particular, for breaking the glass ceiling as far as Indian women sports is concerned.

Talking about it, Esha says, “I used to run track, but only at the inter-school level. I would run 400 meters and have won a lot of championships and gold medals, which my parents have proudly showcased in their house and my house. Basically, my parents used to call me P T Usha when I was really young. My mother would tell me stories about P T Usha being the queen of track in India, and as kids, we would watch her on TV. She really inspired me because we didn’t have a lot of female Indian athletes at that time, and I was enamoured by her.”

Esha adds, “Occasionally, whenever I’ve been asked, I’ve openly expressed that I’d love to play P T Usha on screen. I was heartbroken when I heard that a biopic on her was being made, because I really wished I could have played her on screen. From what I have heard, it’s still not been made, maybe the biopic is waiting and it’s going to come to me. Who wouldn’t want to play P T Usha, after all? If that happens, it would be a dream come true to play one of the most iconic Indian sports figures. I think I even look like her. Our structures are similar, and our faces are similar. P T Usha, for me, is one of those iconic names from India that I would want my children to remember.”

Elaborating on how she feels about our Indian sports stars needing a better support system, she says, “We don’t have that kind of support, facilities, and provisions for our sports people that international sports stars have. So, I really wish that our athletes are given all of that. I feel proud when I see the new generation do so well at the Olympic Games without even having proper facilities. Most of them come from small towns, villages and they don’t even have a proper track to run, a proper stadium, a proper toilet or even air-conditioning and TV sets. In a country like ours, the only sport widely recognised is cricket. I would really love to see India on a bigger platform in sports. The country has the potential to become a top contender at the Olympics with an increased focus on its athletes.”

Talking about Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, the actress continues, “Neeraj Chopra is exemplary. He’s made us all teary-eyed; and when the National Anthem was played on his win, he couldn’t have made India prouder. He’s put us on a different platform like none of us have.”