1. Is there any place to play near your house?
Ans. Yes, there is a big park near my house which is a good place for playing.
2. What do people play there? Who plays there?
Ans. People play different games in that park such as badminton, football, cricket, kho-kho, kabaddi etc. Both girls and boys of our area and nearby areas come to play in that park.
3. Do the children of your age also get a chance to play there?
Ans. Yes, myself and other children of my age often play there.
4. What other things happen at this place?
Ans. Besides games, people also do other activities in that park such as yoga, physical exercise, public meetings, morning and evening walks etc.
5. Has anyone ever stopped you from playing some games? Which games?
Ans. Yes, I was stopped from playing football.
6. Who stopped you and why? What did you do then?
Ans. My mother stopped me from playing football because she said I could get many injuries while playing this game that is why she did not want me to play this game. I tried to convince her but when I failed to do so. I called one of my senior collegues from neighbourhood. She explained and convinced her.
7. Did anyone help you and encourage you to play?
Ans. Yes, my senior collegue from my neighbourhood, my father and my school coach helped and encouraged me.
8. Do girls and boys play different types of games in your school or neighbourhood? If yes, then which games do the boys play and which do the girls play?
Ans. Most of the games are played by both boys and girls. But some games are played by boys only like cricket, hockey, football etc. Girls usually play badminton, kho-kho, basketball etc.
9. Do you think that there is any difference between the games and the way they are played by boys and girls?
Ans. Yes, there is some difference between the games played by boys and girls and the way these are played. The boys usually play very tough, tedious and hard games.
10. Should the game for boys and girls be different? What do you think?
Ans. I think girls are also talented and hardworking as boys. They can play all the game which are played by the boys. Thus there should not be much difference between the games for boys and girls.
11. Have you ever played as part of a team of your class, school or neighbourhood? Whom did you play with? What game did you play?
Ans. Yes, I had played as part of my school team. We played with the team of another school. We played the game kho-kho.
12. What is the difference between playing for yourself and for the team?
Ans. There is a lot of difference in playing for ourselves and for our team. When we are playing for own self, we just think for own victory, we try to prove ourselves excellent and better than others. We just want to listen to our own praise. But when we are playing for the team, we first understand each other, we create a sense of cooperation with each member of the team, we respect each other, we try to teach others and play unitedly as a single team. We play together and work hard to see the victory of the whole team and get praised.
13. While playing in a team would you like to play for yourself or for the team? Why?
Ans. While playing in a team, I would like to play for the team. This is because I want my team to win. This requires understanding between all the members of the team. It teaches us how to live with unity, love and respect.
14. Is your team like team Afsana played with at Sholapur or like the Nagpada team? How?
Ans. Our team is like the Nagpada team. This is because the Nagpada had a very good understanding and cooperation between each member of the team. The members respected and encouraged each other and never insulted any one of his/her weakness. We understanding that this unity was their strength which was the reason for their success. Understanding that unity was their success. Similarly, we also want our team to be perfect and successful. Thus our team is just like the Nagpada team.
15. Have you ever taken part in some game or competition from your school or area? How did you feel?
Ans. Yes, I had taken part in a competition from my school. I felt very honoured and challenging to play for my school side.
16. Did you go to some other place to play? What was that place like? How did you like going to that place?
Ans. Yes, we went to Punjab to play a match. That place was very nice. I felt very good to be at a new place.
17. Have you seen matches played between India and other countries? Which ones?
Ans. Yes, I have seen matches between India and some other countries. I have seen cricket, hockey, football and tennis matches.
18. We all know about the cricketers of India, and we all like them. Do people also know and like the Indian players who play some other games? What do you feel about it? Do you know the players of the Indian football or kabaddi team?
Ans. No, the Indian players of the other games are not much known and liked by the people. This is because the other games have not been able to give much respect, name and success to our country. No, we do not know much about the players of the Indian football or kabaddi team.
19. What would happen if girls are not allowed to play games, to study or do some other work of their choice?
Ans. If girls are not allowed to play games, to study or do some work of their choice, their hidden talent will get suppressed and they will not be able to express themselves. They will also not be able to grow physically and mentally.
20. How would you feel if you were not allowed to take part in some game or drama?
Ans. If I were not allowed to take part in some games or drama. I would have feft very bad and I would feel discouraged.
21. Have you heard of any women player? Name them and the games they play.
Ans. Some of the women players, I have heard about and the games they play are as follows:
(i) Sania Mirza: Tennis
(ii) P.T. Usha: Athletics
(iii) Aparna Popat: Badminton
(iv) Anju Bobby George: Long jump
22. In which area other than sports have you heard of women getting recognition?
Ans. The other areas apart from sports, where women have got recognition are:
(i) Police Department – Kiran Bedi
(ii) Politics – Indira Gandhi (First Lady Prime Minister of India)
(iii) Politics – Pratibha Gandhi (First Lady President of India)
(iv) Mountain climbing – Bachandri Pal (First Indian lady who climbed the Everest)
23. Are these women less known than men? Why?
Ans. No, I think these women are known more as compared to the men. This is because in our country very few women participate in such activities. As a result, they get more popularity and are more famous.
24. How would you find the world to be, if girls never got a chance to take part in games, drama or dance? How would you feel if such a thing happened to boys?
Ans. If the girls will not get a chance to take part in games drama or dance, there will be no competition or challenges. The world would seen very boring. If such a thing would happen with boys, then also it would be very bad, boring and unfair.
25. Do you know of any women or girl whom you would want to be like when you grown up?
Ans. I would want to be like Kiran Bedi and serve for my country.
26. The newspaper report said, “Afsana has jumped over the wall. The gender wall that her mother had made.” Think and write in your own words what was this wall. What do you understand by ‘gender bias’?
Ans. The wall being discussed here refers to the wall of gender bias. By gender bias, we understand the difference in the approach of people towards boys and girls. In our country, especially in the small villages, people still believe that boys are superior than girls. Boys have the right to study, play, participate in all type of activities. But girls are meant for household works only. They believe it is not right to allow girls to go out and study, play or work. But now a days, people have changed a lot. Girls are also given equal opportunities and respect as boys except in few small villages.
27. Should the games of boys and girls be different? Think and write.
Ans. No, I think there should not be much different in the games of boys and girls. Girls are also very competent, hard-working and they can also take challenges very well. Today, there is hardly any field in which the girls have not proven themselves. Thus, girls and boys should be treated properly.
28. If you are made the leader of a team, how will you prepare you team?
Ans. If I would have been the leader of my team, I would prepare my team just like the Nagpada team. For this I would take care of the following things-
(i) I would encourage them to play with hard work and honesty.
(ii) I would tell them to understand and respect each other and maintain unity.
(iii) They should support each other, never insult each other for their mistakes and play for the whole team.
(iv) They should understand that cooperation and unity is the strength of a team.
(v) I would also ask them to practice and exercise daily.
