Jaipur, Nov 25 – Rajasthan’s Pooja Bishnoi made history at the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) 2025 when she captured the first medal for the host state in a cycling event.
Her triumph came in the women’s elite 30 km individual time‑trial on the Jaipur‑Agra Highway. Not only did she outpace the field, but she also overcame the pressures and challenges that come with competing at such a level, earning a silver medal for her university.
Nineteen‑two‑year‑old Pooja hails from a modest farming village in Bikaner. Wearing bib 44, she carried more than just her bike on the course—it was a story of perseverance. At the end of the race she became Rajasthan’s first medal‑winning athlete at the seventh edition of the Games, representing Maharaja Ganga Singh University.
The time‑trial started with the typical burst of speed seen in competitive cycling, but the real surprise unfolded early. Pooja pushed ahead to claim the lead after the first 10‑km lap, riding with rhythmic confidence that seemed to lift the crowd and the track’s coaches alike. Her calm pace and determined posture hinted at an unlikely upset.
Experience, however, proved decisive as the race progressed. Meenakshi Rohilla, an internationally seasoned rider from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar and a decorated National Centre of Excellence athlete, began pulling away on the later laps. She finished with a winning time of 45 : 31.907, while Pooja was just behind with 46 : 52.003—a result that resonated far beyond the numbers.
For Pooja, the silver was not just a consolation prize; it was a powerful statement. “I’m very happy with my result,” she said after the finish, her grin genuine and heartfelt. “I was leading after the first lap, but Meenakshi is very experienced. I had done a 100‑km race just two days earlier, so I felt some fatigue. Still, to win the first medal for my university in our home state’s first KIUG means a lot.”
Pooja’s journey into cycling began at 16, encouraged by her older brother, himself a former racer. The early years were a battle of limited funds, grueling training and persistent self‑doubt.
“I often felt like I had chosen the wrong sport for the first two years,” she confesses. “But my family and relatives supported me, and slow changes started to happen.”
A crucial turn came with the Asmita scholarship—Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action—which funded her participation in multiple zonal and national races. Pooja has received nearly ₹2 lakh through Asmita alone, covering essential gear and training upgrades.
“For girls like me coming from poor families, even ₹10 000 is huge. Asmita and KIUG have opened doors that didn’t exist before,” she remarks.
With cycling debuting as a medal event at KIUG and Rajasthan hosting the Games for the first time, Pooja has become more than just a medallist; she exemplifies the doors that opportunity can open and the sights that determination can reach.
Her silver medal shines as a promise that India’s rural daughters can also gear up to make their mark in national history.
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