Odu Shanti Odu | ஓடு சாந்தி ஓடு

“Then they take me to another room. There were five men and a woman in that room. I was scared and embarrassed. I had no other choice. They told me to get on the bed and lie down. They told me to raise my hand raise my leg. Each one came closer and examined me. They talked to each other. I was naked for a long time. They examined my whole body. I didn’t understand anything. I don’t speak English fluently. So I couldn’t answer many of the questions they asked me properly.”*Santhi was the first Indian athlete to win a silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games. But she was stripped of her medal after undergoing a sex test.Shanti feels like a woman. Shanti has no doubt that she is a woman. Can a woman be defined as a woman by her body shape and appearance? Shanti is facing the common sense questions of this society and the humiliation she has faced internationally.What challenges did she face to emerge as a successful woman in the face of this society that ostracized her?This is the autobiography of Shanti Soundararajan a medal-winning runner and coach for India who was born into an oppressed community.Then they took me to another room. There were five men and one woman in that room. I was scared and disgusted. I had no choice. They told me to lie down on the bed. Lift your arm lift your leg. Everyone came closer and examined them. They talked to each other. For a long time. I was naked. They were checking my whole body. I didn't understand anything. I don't speak English fluently. So I couldn't answer. a lot of questions they were asking. * Shanti became the first athlete to win a silver medal for India at the Asian Games in 2006. But he was sexually tested and stripped of his medal. Shanti feels herself as a woman. Shanti has no doubt that she is a girl. Can body shape and dress define a woman as a woman? Shanti faces the common sense questions of this society and the humiliation she has received internationally. What were the challenges she faced to emerge as a successful woman in front of this society that excluded her? It is the autobiography of Shanti Soundarrajan a medal-winning runner and coach for India born in an oppressed society. | “பிறகு வேறொரு உள்ளறைக்கு அழைத்துச் செல்கிறார்கள். அந்த அறையில் ஐந்து ஆண்களும் ஒரு பெண்ணும் இருந்தார்கள். எனக்குப் பயமாகவும் அருவருப்பாகவும் இருந்தது. வேறு வழியில்லை. கட்டிலில் ஏறிப் படுக்கச் சொன்னார்கள். கையைத் தூக்கு காலைத் தூக்கு என்றெல்லாம் சொன்னார்கள். ஒவ்வொருவரும் அருகில் வந்து பரிசோதனை செய்தார்கள். அவர்களுக்குள் ஏதேதோ பேசிக் கொண்டார்கள். நீண்ட நேரம் நிர்வாணமாக இருந்தேன். உடல் முழுக்கப் பரிசோதிக்கிறார்கள். எனக்கு ஒன்றுமே புரியவில்லை. ஆங்கில மொழி எனக்குச் சரளமாக வராது. அதனால் அவர்கள் கேட்கும் நிறைய கேள்விகளுக்கு என்னால் சரிவரப் பதிலளிக்க முடியாமல் தவித்தேன்.”*இந்தியாவுக்காக 2006ல் ஆசிய விளையாட்டுப் போட்டியில் வெள்ளிப் பதக்கம் வென்ற முதல் வீராங்கனை சாந்தி. ஆனால் பாலியல் பரிசோதனை செய்யப்பட்டு அவரது பதக்கம் பறிக்கப்பட்டது.சாந்தி தன்னை பெண் என்றே உணர்கிறார். தான் பெண் என்பதில் சாந்திக்கு எந்தச் சந்தேகமும் இல்லை. உடல் வடிவமும் உடையுமா ஒரு பெண்ணை பெண் என நிர்ணயிக்க முடியும்? இந்தச் சமூகத்தின் பொதுப் புத்தி சார்ந்த கேள்விகளையும் சர்வதேச அளவில் தனக்கு நேர்ந்த அவமானங்களையும் ஒரு சேர எதிர்கொள்கிறார் சாந்தி.தன்னை ஒதுக்கிய இச்சமூகத்தின் முன்பு ஒரு வெற்றிப் பெண்ணாக வலம் வர அவர் எதிர்கொண்ட சவால்கள் என்ன?ஒடுக்கப்பட்ட சமூகத்தில் பிறந்து இந்தியாவுக்காகப் பதக்கம் வென்ற ஓட்டப் பந்தய வீராங்கனையும் பயிற்சியாளருமான சாந்தி சௌந்தர்ராஜனின் சுயசரிதை இது.Then they took me to another room. There were five men and one woman in that room. I was scared and disgusted. I had no choice. They told me to lie down on the bed. Lift your arm lift your leg. Everyone came closer and examined them. They talked to each other. For a long time. I was naked. They were checking my whole body. I didn't understand anything. I don't speak English fluently. So I couldn't answer a lot of questions they were asking. * Shanti became the first athlete to win a silver medal for India at the Asian Games in 2006. But he was sexually tested and stripped of his medal. Shanti feels herself as a woman. Shanti has no doubt that she is a girl. Can body shape and dress define a woman as a woman? Shanti faces the common sense questions of this society and the humiliation she has received internationally. What were the challenges she faced to emerge as a successful woman in front of this society that excluded her? It is the autobiography of Shanti Soundarrajan a medal-winning runner and coach for India born in an oppressed society.