PRAGATI BANKA
“I strongly believe that women empowerment is not a women's only issue and we need more allies if we want real change.”
Meet Pragati Banka, India’s first and only woman to be qualified as a FIFA Football Agent. In her role, she leverages her experience as a lawyer, talent manager and athlete. Pragati aims to use sport as a tool to bring about change in society, especially by empowering women and underserved communities.
“My passion and love for sport grew when I joined law school, where I had the opportunity to try different sports and compete in local and outstation tournaments. I later became Head of the Sports Committee at my university, where I learned about the management and administrative work involved in facilitating sport.”
“I was aware of para sports and athletes as a third person, however my exposure while working with Paralympians and other para athletes changed my perception.
Getting to know about the battles that they have fought and how. One of them taught me this - Able bodied athletes become champions when they win a medal, but para athletes are champions without even winning a medal, for pushing their beyond beyond the limits.”
BARRIERS TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION IN SPORT
“The traditional mindset that girls don’t belong in sport is a big barrier. That way of thinking trickles down into less encouragement for young girls to take up sport or continue playing, which affects participation and their growth at a crucial age.
Safety is another major concern. The lack of proper safety and security measures pushes many women away, but this can be countered with more education, awareness, sensitivity, and by having more women in roles across sporting organisations.
There’s also a real lack of role models. We need more visibility of women athletes so others can see what’s possible and feel inspired to follow. At the same time, equitable investment is still missing. Women were denied their right to play for far too long, yet there have been very few reparations by those in power to fix that imbalance.
And finally, women’s sport is constantly compared to men’s. When the Indian team won the Cricket World Cup, the media were still comparing it to the men’s team’s victorious moments, instead of celebrating the achievement for what it was.”
EQUAL PLAY COLLECTIVE
“When I started Equal Play Collective, my mission was to get more women to play sport. We began with mixed-gender games where anyone and everyone was welcome, across age, gender, and skill level. I strongly believe that women’s empowerment is not a women-only issue, and that we need more allies if we want real change.
Involving men in our mixed games helped break stereotypes some men might have. The biggest impact we saw was that men became more sensitised to the issues we face on the ground.
They then brought their wives, girlfriends, friends, and siblings to try a sport and learn. This helped introduce more women to sport and create allies who now encourage everyone they meet to play — whether it’s an all-women’s game or being the only woman in a mixed one.”
“Just go for it. Look for spaces where you find like-minded people who are working towards a goal you resonate with. That kind of environment naturally drives your ambition to do better.
And don’t pay heed to anyone who thinks you don’t belong here or that you’re not good enough.”
