She sprints to her patients, and a mere touch soothes many pains. Shilpa Choudhary, a physio from Himachal Pradesh has made Bangalore home. “I love this place...and the weather is salubrious...” says the 29-year-old, who is pursuing her Masters in Musculoskeletal and Sports Injuries at the KGT College of Physiotherapy.
The Zuari Garden City ITF Open women's tennis tournament is her first major break. “I have been contracted by the KSLTA for this tournament and hopefully many more will follow,” she says.
Shilpa is passionate about sports and has been an athlete and basketball player in school before coming to Bangalore. She enrolled in Garden City College, where she completed her bachelor’s degree, when her romance with Bangalore began. “I was fascinated by the city. I came under the guidance of Dr. Jerome Einstein (who is currently associated with ESI Hospital in Rajajinagar). He has been a source of great help with his advice and remedial tips. I have always sought his opinions whenever I am faced with problems relating to my treatment,” she says.
Shilpa moved to Mumbai after school, where she worked with a couple of health centres . “It was an exhilarating experience working in intensive care before a long-time romance culminated in marriage and took me to Delhi. My husband Gyanander Kumar Goutham fanned the spark which brought me back to Bangalore for my masters.”
Dealing with injury is a big aspect of sport, and Shilpa feels the player has an important role in recovery. “It is very important to know the depth of injury, and this has to come from the person,” she says. “To determine the gravity of the injury be it the ligament or the tissue, the player has to point out the type of pain and the exact spot. Only then can we determine the injury and treat it accordingly. Full cooperation can help quicker recovery.” Playing on different surfaces and at different levels of competition can lead to varied niggles and injuries even in the fittest of sports persons. “When we provide them the cure or a quick heal, seeing them take the court again gives us immense satisfaction,” Shilpa says.
She does not consider her profession, as a men-only domain. “There are lots of women taking this up. It is lucrative once you make a name in it and if one is lucky enough to be associated with a major sport like cricket or hockey besides tennis, in India, then the sky is the limit.”
Shilpa says Bangalore is where her calling seems to be. “With the KPL, IPL, IBL and others coming up, I hope to make it big in my career.”
