Bhubaneswar: More than two decades on the circuit and still winning medals at the Asian level, 35-year-old Indian sprinter Srabani Nanda says her longevity on the track is not just about focus and hunger but is also down to having a clean body that has never known any prohibited substance.
The Odisha athlete was a member of the Indian 4x100m relay team that won a gold in the Asian Relays Championships in China earlier this month. That performance (43.85 seconds) has made India a strong contender at the Asian Games in Japan come September-October.
Asked how she has managed to keep herself relevant even after two decades of competitive action, Srabani told PTI, "There is no secret, I am always hungry (for success)."
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Add to that her zeal to protect her body from prohibited drugs in a country where doping remains a serious problem despite aggressive campaigns to educate athletes and support staff of its perils.
"I will definitely say that it is very important to stay clean and that gives a lot of confidence. And you can focus on your competition," said Srabani who is competing in the 100m and 200m events at the ongoing National Inter-State Senior Championships here.
"We must change the mindset from 'we can't do without drugs' to 'we can do without drugs'. We have to make sure that we keep our body healthy and we should not play with our body. And naturally the prohibited drugs would even make your body deteriorate in a long run."
Srabani is one of the senior most athletes in the circuit, having represented India as far back as in 2007 at the youth level.
"Whenever I get one medal, I want to do better in the next one. I don't get satisfied so easily. I want to be better and better everyday," Srabani said.
"Definitely there are a lot of sacrifices, lot of challenges as I have been competing for the last 23-24 years.
"I have a lot of experience as well, so I can manage myself. I prepare myself every day, mentally and physically, everything gets together. I also have a very good support system, family, friends, and that helps me."
Srabani was a part of the Indian 4x100m relay team that won a bronze in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. In the Asian Championships, she has won an individual 200m bronze in 2015, 4x100m relay bronze in 2017 and 4x100m relay silver in 2025. She also competed in the women's 200m in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Hailing from Tikabali in Kandhamal district of Odisha, Srabani joined the Government Sports Hostel here in 2002 to begin her athletics journey.
She made it to the Indian U-18 team that finished fifth in the women's sprint medley relay 1000m at the Ostrava IAAF World Youth Championships in July 2007.
Her father, Banabihari Nanda, worked as a clerk in the local collectorate, and her mother, Subasini Rayguru, worked as a school headmistress.
Srabani's journey may have been rewarding but it has not been without its challenges.
"I must say it is not easy to (continue for so long). There were so many times I thought of it. In training, it is so hard. Sometimes I vomit in the training but have to still get up and do the next repetition.
"I get so tired, so frustrated when at times I don't achieve the goal, I really feel frustrated. So, those days I feel really bad and low but I have to hold myself up and think for the coming days and make sure I do it the right way and stick to the goal.
"I have seen so many international athletes who have been running so well in their late years. So, that inspired me as well."
She has trained at the Mittal Champions Trust in South Africa and Australia.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she trained in Jamaica in 2020 and competed in events along side sprint greats Elaine Thompson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
"When I was in Jamaica, I learnt a lot about sprinting, about how to manage sports, how to manage competition and all that. So, it helped me a lot," said Srabani who is currently an employee of Odisha Hydro Power Corporation.
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Srabani has not won any Asian Games medal in two attempts -- in 2010 and 2014 -- and she is hoping for the best in Japan this time later this year.
"For this season, the main goal is the Asian Games and I am hoping for the best."
The National Inter-State Senior Championships will serve as the selection trial for the Asian Games.
