As Diwali lights up homes across India — from the tribal heartlands of Odisha to the sandy villages of Rajasthan and the bustling chawls of Pune — a new kind of Lakshmi Puja is being celebrated this year. It’s not marked by gold coins or rituals but by tears of pride and stories of triumph. For several families, their daughters — once told that sports were no place for women — have become true symbols of fortune, dignity, and empowerment through the game of Kho Kho.
These young women — Magai Majhi from Odisha, Nirmala Bhati from Rajasthan, Priyanka Ingle from Maharashtra, and Ranjana Sarania from Assam — have redefined prosperity. They are the new faces of India’s rise in traditional sports, and in their parents’ eyes, they are the true goddesses of wealth — not for what they possess, but for what they’ve become, according to a press release by the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI).
From Odisha’s Forests to the World Cup Arenas
In the tribal village of Kasnadara in Rayagada, Odisha, the festival of lights was once a quiet affair. But this year, diyas will shine brighter in the home of Budhavari Majhi, mother of 21-year-old World Cup star Magai Majhi.
Budhavari, who raised Magai single-handedly after losing her husband when Magai was just a month old, faced criticism for sending her daughter to sports camps and hostels. Yet, her determination never faltered.
“In our village, we do not usually celebrate Diwali with grandeur. But this year, it’s special. My daughter is my Lakshmi. She has brought fame to our village, our state, and our country,” said Budhavari with pride.
Today, parents who once doubted her choices now seek her advice on how to guide their own daughters into sports. Magai, humble in her success, shares,
“People from my village now ask how they can make their daughters like me. That’s the best compliment I can receive.”
A Revolution in Rajasthan
Some 1,600 kilometers away, in Parewadi village, Rajasthan, Geeta Devi lights a diya near her family shrine. Her daughter, Nirmala Bhati, who once ran barefoot across dusty fields, is now Rajasthan’s first international Kho Kho champion and Best Player of the Tournament at the 2025 Kho Kho World Cup.
“Earlier, it was always the sons who brought glory to a family. But now, our daughter has done it. One elder said, ‘Daughters like Nirmala are better than a hundred sons.’ What more could we ask for this Diwali?” said Geeta Devi, her eyes brimming with emotion.
Her husband, Om Prakash Bhati, added,
“We perform Lakshmi Puja every Diwali, but our daughter is our real Lakshmi. She has brought honour to our village and inspired other girls to step out of pardah and shine.”
Nirmala’s story embodies a quiet revolution in rural India, where daughters once confined by social norms now lead communities toward change.
A Spark from Maharashtra’s Chawls
In a small chawl in Dighi, Pimpri-Chinchwad (Maharashtra), Savita and Hanumant Ingle prepare for Diwali in the traditional Maharashtrian way — with Puran Poli, new clothes, and oil lamps. But this Diwali, their hearts glow with a deeper pride. Their daughter, Priyanka Ingle, captained India’s World Cup-winning Kho Kho team and is among the country’s most decorated athletes in the sport.
“In Maharashtra, Diwali is grand. But for us, our daughter has made it even more special. She is our Lakshmi,” said Savita, who runs a small ladies’ item shop. “Because of her, our financial condition and social status have improved.”
Priyanka’s journey — from a modest chawl to a government post as an Income Tax Officer — stands as a beacon of hard work and resilience.
“We once worried about her future,” said her father, Hanumant. “Now, people recognize us because of her. What more could parents want?”
Light Amid Loss in Assam
In Tamulpur, Assam, the Diwali celebrations are subdued this year as the state mourns the loss of beloved music icon Zubeen Garg. Yet, for Vimala Sarania, pride quietly replaces festivity. Her 20-year-old daughter, Ranjana Sarania, represented India at the 4th Asian Kho Kho Championship (2023), bringing a different kind of light to their home.
“We are not celebrating Diwali this time. But our joy is on the Kho Kho ground. We are proud our daughter plays for India,” said Vimala, as quoted in the KKFI press release.
Ranjana’s success has ignited a sporting spirit across Assam’s Bodoland region, inspiring young girls to dream beyond traditional boundaries.
The True Wealth of a Nation
Across these diverse corners of India — Odisha, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Assam — runs a shared thread: empowerment born of struggle and belief. Kho Kho, once limited to dusty school grounds, has evolved into a movement symbolizing tradition, pride, and transformation.
This Diwali, while much of India celebrates wealth with gold and lights, these families celebrate something richer — the wealth of pride, the light of determination, and the strength of daughters who chase their dreams across fields of soil and spirit.
Their stories remind us that the brightest diyas aren’t always lit in temples — sometimes, they shine in the eyes of mothers who dared to believe in their daughters.