Indian sports is witness to a new milestone in history, which has not only filled the country with pride but has also inspired its sportsmanship. Yes, we are talking about ‘AISA’s tallest player Poonam Chaturvedi, who has always been in the news due to her height in basketball. Poonam’s story is full of struggles in her life.
Standing at 7 feet tall, Poonam immediately catches people’s attention when she enters the field with her teammates or when she receives a pass during a match and lifts the ball well beyond the reach of her opponents. But Poonam’s journey was not easy, in 2014 she suffered from a raging headache and was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Poonam Chaturvedi started her basketball career in 2011 from Kanpur and soon her base shifted to Chhattisgarh. In 2011, she became the Under-18 basketball captain and made it to the FIBA Asian Cup 2017. His tumor was finally cured in 2019. And now a healthy Poonam is ready to ball and rule.
Poonam’s father is a constable in the UP Police, he is around 5’10” tall and her mother is also a housewife. Even his younger brother is 6’4”. “At 26 years old, she finds herself a tad too tall,” she admits. Her height poses a constant challenge, requiring her to contend with doors, seats, clothing, footwear, and various everyday obstacles.
When Poonam reached the 10th grade, she had already surpassed six feet in height. Recognizing her stature, one of her father’s acquaintances recommended she consider pursuing a sport. Acting on this advice, her father accompanied her to the Green Park Stadium in their hometown of Kanpur. It was there that she decided to join the basketball team. Over the next two years, Poonam represented her home state on the court.
“When I went to play the Youth Nationals in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh in 2010, Patel sir saw my height and called me. Then he talked to my father and by 2011, I got transferred to the Chhattisgarh team,” says Poonam.
