I wasn’t allowed to play sports, so I went on a hunger strike

From early morning hikes to practising at training grounds and juggling law school with international competitions, Karina Puri shows how passionate persistence can help forge one’s own path.

In Jyamire, Sindhupalchowk, where playgrounds were scarce and girls playing football drew stares, Karina Puri used to walk through a forest with a torchlight. She started her hour-long journey to Melamchi Bazaar while it was still dark, facing cold mornings and the quiet of the woods. This routine marked the start of her life in sports—a practice motivated more by necessity than ambition at the time.