Dutee Chand, star athlete, is secure in her work and relationship

India’s first out-in-the-open gay woman sprinter is determined to make an impact

It’s almost time for lunch but Dutee Chand, India’s fastest woman athlete, is gamely talking about her day’s routine in response to my queries. It’s a routine that is singularly dedicated to her profession. In deeply accented Hindi, Chand describes her current training schedule in Hyderabad, where she is in residence, away from her home state Odisha. “I wake up at five and prepare for an hour for my training–just getting my body ready for the day ahead. A simple breakfast of dalia or a banana, and I am off to the track to meet my coach. I train from 6.30 am. to 9.30 am. A short break later, and I’m back in the gym to work on other aspects of training. Lunch is followed by some rest, and it’s the track again for another two hours. The only day off is Sunday.”

Chand is clear–running and training is her life. There is no time to watch films or read books. And no, she hasn’t seen Rashmi Rocket, the Tapsee Pannu-starrer that has reportedly been inspired by her life.

Making headlines

On May 19th 2019, Chand became the first Indian woman to qualify for the marquee 100-metre sprint at the Olympics. At that time, she also seized the day to talk about another significant aspect of her life. Gathering the courage–from the Supreme Court’s historic decision to decriminalise Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code in 2018–she stepped out, declaring her love for her then unnamed same-sex partner, who also hails from Odisha. “I have found someone who is my soulmate. I believe everyone should have the freedom to be with whoever they decide they want to be with. I have always supported the rights of those who want to be in a same-sex relationship. It is an individual person’s choice. Currently, my focus is on the World Championships and the Olympic Games but in the future I would like to settle down with her,” Chand had told The Sunday Express at the time.

At 26, Chand remains fearless in her assertion to love freely, and has been in the news for several reasons in the last few years. Most recently, in January this year, she opened her heart in an interview to the monthly Odia magazine Kadambini. Released in time for Valentine’s Day, the feature saw Chand posing with her partner Monalisa, talking about her relationship a second time around. The difference this time was that Chand introduced Monalisa by name and face to the Indian public. The magazine cover and the feature created happy ripples across social media. When asked about the interview, Chand seems quite bemused by all the fuss around it. “I dressed up and posed for the interview, and it was important to talk about my love. But it did feel as if I was acting in a film.” Monalisa lives in the same village as Chand, and they met at a village puja a few years ago.

When prompted on what made her open up in this way three years ago as well as recently, Chand’s reply is swift, “I have always believed that everyone should have the freedom to love. There is no greater emotion than love and it should not be denied. The Supreme Court of India has also struck down the old law. I believe nobody has the right to judge me as an athlete because of my decision to be with who I want. It is a personal decision, which should be respected,” she shares with quiet assurance. “The right to love is everyone’s right. Who you live with, sleep with, eat with, is your personal business. No one should interfere in anyone’s personal life,” she adds with emphasis.

The third of seven children, Chand and her family hail from Chaka Gopalpur, a small village–and weaving centre–in Jajpur district, about 90 kilometres from Bhubaneswar. Born in poverty, sports was the impetus for a better life. Chand’s sister Saraswati became a national-level athlete as a way out towards better times. Later, upon winning a sports scholarship and gaining admission into a government school in Bhubaneswar, Chand, too, went on to become an athlete. She started setting records on the track by the age of 17, often drawing comparison to another legendary Indian track-star–P.T. Usha. What makes Chand’s emergence in the sporting world even more significant is that she qualified for the women's 100-metres sprint at the 2016 Rio Olympics, almost four decades after Usha’s participation in the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

No stranger to controversy

Chand’s fearless countenance has been in the making for a while. She’s no stranger to making headlines for her sexuality or her sexual orientation. In 2014, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) banned Chand from competing after she failed a hormone test which revealed that she had unusually high levels of testosterone, and hence, a condition known as hyperandrogenism. Chand challenged the decision, and her case eventually led to the dismissal of a global rule that had, since 2011, been the basis for gender-testing in sports. Chand understandably takes pride in her actions. “I feel I was born to play sports and try to change the way our society thinks. For instance, my fight against gender-testing in sports gave me a lot of courage and [the ability to] support other athletes facing the same situation.” When asked about how she copes with negativity, she says, “I think we should not judge people but accept them as they are. We need to take pride in our diversity and that is what we should practice.”

The champion sprinter also credited her association with sportswear brand Puma, who signed a two-year deal with her in 2019. She says, “I want to set an example for the younger generations that your personal choices don’t–and shouldn’t–exclude you from playing sports, being an athlete or achieving your dreams. I am thrilled to be in the company of great athletes like Mary Kom and Virat Kohli [also supported by Puma].”

When the question about Rashmi Rocket is posed, that is–whether she had watched the film or if it was based on her–she responds with clarity, “Some people say that it’s my story. Then some say it’s Pinki Pramanik’s story or Santhi Soundarajan’s story but it sounds more like a product of someone's imagination to me. I have told everyone that this is not my story or film at all but they still seem to infer that it’s about me.”

Dreams Inc.

Currently an employee of the state public-sector undertaking, The Odisha Mining Corporation Ltd.–Chand is determined to start a sports academy for underprivileged children who come from backgrounds like hers. “I would like to start my own sports academy. The Dutee Chand Academy in Odisha for children who are talented and need support.” She’s also more than happy to be an advocate for queer rights. “Love is a feeling. You can experience this feeling for anyone. People say only a certain gender or caste can feel love, but it is not true. You can love whoever you want.”

One glance at Chand’s Instagram feed draws attention to her confident stance in a particular photo, the caption stating, “Love me or hate me, either way, I’m gonna shine…” And shine she does!

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