Manju Rani (Athlete)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Manju Rani

• Manju Rani is an Indian athlete, who is known for competing in the 35 km race walk events. In 2023, she won a bronze medal in the team 35 km race walk event at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

• She spent her childhood in Khaira Khurd village of Mansa district in Punjab, India.

• When Manju was two years old, her mother died in a drowning accident. ^[4]The Indian Express

• In an interview, she shared that her journey as a racewalker began when she was a handball player. She had attended a selection trial for handball at a school, but the school did not offer handball as a sport. It was her coach at the school who recommended that she give racewalking a try. She said,
  

  I had never race-walked before that but I managed to finish third. The coach was impressed with my performance and advised that I must go and train at a better place if I have to grow into a better athlete. You need to lift your knees in a certain way while running. But even when I was running, it appeared as If I was walking. My coach Preetpal Kaur noticed and advised that I must train as a race walker. The gait is a God gift, it comes naturally to me.” ^[5]The Times of India

• In an interview, she discussed her family’s financial situation, and how her father took loans to arrange the funds needed to support her training and diet. She said,
  

  Although I was part of the SAI hostel, I always needed extra money for fruits, nuts and shoes. My father is a farmer. We have two acres of land in which we grow rice and wheat, but whenever I needed money, he would find a way to send it to me. He used to take loans just so that I could train well. ^[6]Sportstar My father mortgaged his agricultural land. Much of the money was sent to me and a bit was spent on my grandfather’s treatment.” ^[7]The Times of India

• In 2013, she began her journey as a racewalker. Later, she enrolled at SAI in Badal, Muktsar district, Punjab, and started her training under the guidance of her coach, Pritpal Kaur.

• At the age of 15, she earned her first medal, a bronze, in a race walking competition at the state level.

• In 2018, she joined the Indian Army as a Sipahi.

  

• In 2018, she secured a job with Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which provided her with the financial support she needed for her training, diet, supplements, and shoes. Her initial salary was Rs 21,000; however, she found it insufficient, especially because her shoes cost around Rs 17,000, which wore out nearly after a month. To invest further in her training, she took a personal loan of Rs 8 lakhs in 2019.

• Her career as a senior athlete began in 2020.

• In 2022, she secured the silver medal at the 9th National Open Race Walking Championship in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and set a national record in the 35 km race walk.

• She took part in the 36th National Games in Gujarat in October 2022 and secured second position.

• In February 2023, she established a new national record in the Women’s 35 Km Race Walking event at the 10th National Open Race Walking Championships in Ranchi, with a time of 2 hours, 57 minutes, and 54 seconds.

• She earned gold in the women’s 10 Km race walk event at the 71st All India Police Athletic Championship in 2023.

• She was selected to represent India at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in 2023, participating in the inaugural 35km mixed team event alongside Ram Baboo. Together, they achieved a combined time of 5 hours, 51 minutes, and 14 seconds, earning a bronze medal at the 2022 Asian Games.