Sports

IIE DIGITAL: India's gymnastics campaign at the Commonwealth Games may have ended without much success, but West Bengal's Arundhati Poddar emerged as a notable presence in Glasgow by representing the country as an International Technical Official (ITO). Unlike the athletes competing for medals, the former national gymnast from Dum Dum played a crucial role in ensuring fair judging at one of the sport's biggest multi-disciplinary events.

Arundhati competed for Bengal at the national level until 2002 before choosing an unconventional path in gymnastics. After retiring from competition, she qualified as a national judge the same year and, within five years, earned her International Judges certification. Since then, she has officiated at prestigious events, including the Apparatus World Cup and the Asian Championships, gradually building a reputation on the international stage.

Her consistent performances as an official also saw her serve as a National Technical Official during the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. This year's appointment in Glasgow came as recognition of her experience and expertise.

Reflecting on the opportunity, Arundhati said working alongside some of the world's finest judges and gymnasts had been a valuable learning experience that would help her grow professionally. She also revealed that although she had initially hoped to become a coach after retirement, the lack of proper gymnastics infrastructure prevented her from pursuing that path. Instead, her fascination with the sport's scoring system inspired her to become a judge.

Despite establishing herself as an internationally recognised official, Arundhati says coaching remains close to her heart and hopes to train young gymnasts in the future if she gets access to suitable facilities.