At just 19 years old, Tanisha Gupta has already become one of the leading footballers in the freestyle football community in India. Based in the city of Pune in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, Tanisha has gained a huge following on social media, and we spoke with Tanisha on International Women's Day about her football journey, the barriers she has had to overcome in pursuing being a freestyle footballer, and how she hopes to inspire women across the world by showcasing her skills and creativity through the art of freestyle football.
Could you tell us about who you are and a bit about your first experiences playing football?
My name is Tanisha Gupta, I’m 19 years old, originally from Bihar, but I currently live in Pune. I fell in love with football when I was in 4th grade. Since my dad’s job requires us to move every 5 years, I was in Gujarat at that time.
I used to play football with the boys, and there were only three girls who played with them. Society looked down on us for playing with boys, and I could feel the judgment.
Then, my dad got transferred to Punjab, and when I was around 13, I was the only girl playing with the boys. The society was even harsher, and my friends’ moms used to say things like, “Stay away from her; she plays with boys, she’s a bad influence,” and so on.