New Delhi: As India celebrates its World Cup winners, the focus is shifting on how its schools are nurturing the next generation of sportswomen. Over the past few years, many Delhi schools have seen a push to improve their sports infrastructure — building new playgrounds, multipurpose courts and fitness rooms. Govt schools have appointed physical education teachers, created sports hostels, and provided stipends and training support to girls showing promise. Yet, access to sporting infra remains uneven in the city. While model and upgraded schools have proper fields and equipment, many others still lack basic grounds or facilities for girls to train safely. Still, educators say the World Cup win serves as a powerful motivation, showing that girls from Delhi’s schools, if given opportunity, coaching and encouragement can dream big. Pratika Rawal, India’s second-highest run-scorer in the World Cup, is the perfect example of how the city’s private institutions have long embraced sports as integral to their academic ethos. The 25-year-old, an alumnus of Modern School Barakhamba Road and Jesus and Mary College, started training when she was 10, before breaking into the senior state team in 2021.“We have always believed in holistic education where sports plays a vital role. Our campuses are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities that are equally accessible to boys and girls,” says Divya Bhatia, principal, Amity International School, Saket.At Apeejay School, a similar ethos drives its sports programme. The school’s facilities include modern basketball and badminton courts, a swimming pool, tennis courts and skating facilities. For Rooma Pathak, principal of M M Public School, Pitampura, the change is palpable. “We foster a strong sporting culture, especially among girls, by providing them expert coaching,” she says. Private schools often have this edge, but the educators agree that the World Cup victory has democratised aspiration. “Now, even girls from schools with no proper sporting facilities are dreaming of wearing national jerseys,” says a PE teacher at a south Delhi school. In govt schools, the push for sports has been steady but uneven. Over the past decade, the directorate of education has built hostels, facilities for football, hockey, swimming and athletics. Yet many campuses still struggle with basic infrastructure. According to Delhi govt data, between April 2005 and Jan 2025, the directorate built 10 football grounds and 10 swimming complexes, seven arenas for athletics, five hockey fields and a shooting range in govt schools. But more is needed.Joginder Kumar, principal of Govt Co-Ed Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Rohini, feels the potential is immense. “Expectations from govt schools are greater as they teach a larger number of students,” he says. Sunita, principal of Ravi Shankar SKV, says that students are showing greater enthusiasm for sports.While the private schools have the sporting resources, govt ones are turning promise into practice — driven by ambition and the image of the Indian women lifting the cup.
