A two-time Olympian and 100m national record holder, Dutee Chand has been a trail blazer for Indian athletics ever since she burst onto the scene in 2013.
The sprinter, the first openly gay athlete from India, scripted history in 2019 at the World Universiade in Naples when she became the first Indian to clinch gold in a 100m event at a global meet.
While her dominance on the track has surely garnered headlines, her sexual orientation has drawn a lot of flak. She isn’t bothered, and rightly so.
Here are some of her top quotes that proves she is absolutely fearless:
I feel that it’s wrong to have to change your body for sport participation. I’m not changing for anyone.
–When told she can either take hormone-suppressing drugs or have surgery to limit how much testosterone her body produces
It’s like in some societies, they used to cut off the hand of people caught stealing. I feel like this is the same kind of primitive, unethical rule. It goes too far.
–Chand on the idea of medically altering her body
For all who are in love but afraid of the world you must show courage because the world has always taken time to accept all good things.
–After revealing she’s gay
I can hold hands with my partner anywhere in public. Before I came out, we would stand on opposite ends of malls, parks, and streets. Now we travel together without fear of what people may say about us. The unexpected part has been the support I've received from people worldwide.
–When asked what’s the most rewarding, unexpected, part of coming out
In our country, culture and tradition are often used as tools to suppress people and communities. Resist it. Just like our minds, our bodies too are not built the same way. Love is a human right.
–On her advice to folks who are struggling with their identity
Nevertheless, as of 2023, Chand tested positive for a banned substance, prompting the National Anti-Doping Agency to impose a four-year ban. However, the sprinter has decided to challenge the ban, stating the below, as quoted by The Indian Express:
"I have been competing at the highest level for almost a decade and I have never touched or used any kind of performance-enhancing drugs. I have given my samples whenever asked. In 2014 I had to fight for my right to run due hyperandrogenism case and now this has come up. I’ll have to see the letter first to tell you what my next step will be."
