SRINAGAR: In a country where cricket eclipses most other sports, Rishika Khajuria is carving her own space, with a sabre in hand and a dream that cuts through the silence around fencing in India. At 25, the young athlete from Jammu and Kashmir is part of a new wave of Indian fencers trying to push the sport into national consciousness.
Rishika-Khajuria.
In an interview with Outlook, Rishika opened up about her beginnings, the challenges of pursuing fencing in a place where sports often come second, and the quiet but steady transformation taking root in Jammu and Kashmir’s sporting landscape.
“I took up fencing in 2019 with a local coach. It was a very unique sport, and when I started, I was very young. From there, it’s just been hard work, year after year,” she told Outlook. The path wasn’t lit with ready-made infrastructure or easy access, but built slowly, one bout, one medal, one training camp at a time.
Coming from Jammu, Rishika represents a region where the idea of sports as a career is still growing roots. “Earlier, there wasn’t much awareness or encouragement. Now, with more support from the government, like better facilities and exposure, things are slowly changing,” she said.
India’s fencing story was virtually unknown until Bhavani Devi broke through at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Her historic qualification gave the sport a national face, and Rishika credits that moment as a catalyst. “That was a historic moment—it put fencing on the map in India,” she said. “Before that, barely anyone knew about it.”
Despite the rise in awareness, the road ahead remains difficult. Fencing still struggles for visibility and resources. “It’s very tough to gain sponsorship,” Rishika explained. “The government is helping, they’re doing everything they can, but it still needs a lot more attention.”
And attention is precisely what Rishika is working to bring, both through her performance and her presence online. She’s among a growing generation of athletes using social media as a platform to build connections, share stories, and attract support.
“In today’s scenario, it’s very important for an athlete to be on social media. For a sport like fencing, which not many people know about, it really helps spread awareness,” she told Outlook.
For those curious about stepping into fencing, Rishika offers simple but sharp advice: “It’s like physical chess. You need strength, but also strategy. It’s demanding, but also beautiful—and with hard work, you can go really far.”
As fencing begins to find its footing in India, athletes like Rishika Khajuria are not just competing—they’re pioneering. And in her story lies the quiet promise that even in the most unlikely places, a champion’s journey can begin with a single step—and a foil in hand.
