In an exclusive interaction with Zee News English, former India women’s football captain Aditi Chauhan opened up about her journey beyond the field, her vision for women’s football in India, and a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with global icon David Beckham that she describes as nothing short of surreal.
Chauhan recalled how special it was to meet Beckham, a moment that left her humbled and inspired. “Yeah, that’s all I could come up with. Words were less to explain what it actually felt. You know, this was an opportunity that out of all the footballers in India and all the people, I was the one lucky enough to actually meet him and it is something that you don’t even dream of. I never imagined an opportunity like this would come my way and I’d be able to meet him and not just meet him but actually have a conversation. He knew who I was,” Chauhan shared.
What stood out most for her was Beckham’s humility despite his legendary stature. “No matter how much you achieve, how big you become, ultimately it’s the person that you are that connects with other people and that’s what people remember you by. Beckham being him, he still was so humble, so down to earth, he was having a general conversation and made everyone feel so warm and welcoming.”
SHE KICKS
Chauhan even took the opportunity to share her work with SheKicks, her initiative to promote women’s football in India. “I told him about what I am doing through SheKicks and what we’re trying to do here in India. And I hope that in the future I can get more opportunities like this and maybe also get him to help us out with that vision.”
Reflecting on her inspiration to take up football, Chauhan admitted it was the game itself that pulled her in. “I actually fell in love with the game itself… I was playing multiple sports… but when I got that first experience of playing as a goalkeeper in the team, it connected with me.” She also revealed she looked up to Hope Solo and Manuel Neuer, and described meeting Solo as “incredibly special.”
As a leader, Chauhan highlighted her approach on and off the field: “Ultimately, I feel I am a leader who likes to lead by example. So I try to perform well myself, do the work that I need to do on the field properly and that’s how I hope that can inspire the rest of the team as well.”
For Chauhan, whether it is building a football league for girls in India or meeting global icons like Beckham and Solo, the mission remains the same to stay inspired and keep inspiring the next generation.