Geeta Chauhan, an international-level wheelchair basketball champion and national para-athletics player from Mumbai, who is now the Captain of the Indian Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team, has never let circumstances define her. She has joined the StrongHER Movement, not just as an athlete, but as a living testament to resilience, discipline, and inner strength.
From battling polio at the age of six to climbing her way, sometimes quite literally, into national and international arenas, Geeta’s story is one of unmatched determination. Born into a middle-class family in Mumbai, life took a turn when polio struck, leaving her unable to walk. But it wasn’t just her body that had to fight; it was the mindset of those around her.
She was denied admission into private schools, forced to study in government institutions, and even discouraged from pursuing higher education. “My father thought spending on my education would be a waste,” Geeta recalls. “He believed I wouldn’t amount to much, that my life would remain confined within four walls.” But her mother had other plans, plans rooted in fierce belief and unwavering love. It was her mother who pushed her forward, ensuring she enrolled in college and dreamt bigger.
That fire eventually led her to a chance encounter with wheelchair basketball, a turning point that would change her life. Introduced to the sport by an acquaintance, Geeta found not just a distraction but a calling. She trained relentlessly and, in 2017, made her mark at the 6th National Wheelchair Basketball Championship, where her team clinched gold. Since then, she has gone on to represent India in international tournaments.
But she didn’t stop there. Geeta is also a national-level wheelchair lawn tennis player, a marathon racer, and an avid climber. In every space she enters, she shows up not just to compete, but to prove that strength knows no physical limits.
Geeta has taken her journey one step; she champions women’s right to prioritise themselves by taking wellness and fitness seriously. She believes fitness isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about self-respect, consistency, and inner healing. Geeta embodies all of it.
“Equal respect feels good,” she says. “Society still thinks disabled people should stay home, that we’re incapable of achieving anything. That mentality has to change. If I can achieve so much with a disability, imagine what every other woman can do if she just starts.”
Her message is clear:
Strength doesn’t begin in the gym; it begins in the mind.
It’s not about lifting weights, it’s about lifting yourself.
And most importantly, it’s never too late to begin.
Through her association with the StrongHER Movement, Geeta hopes to encourage more women, especially those facing social, physical, or emotional obstacles, to reclaim their right to fitness and self-worth. She leads by example, showing that showing up for yourself every day is the ultimate form of strength.