Heads turned and necks twisted everywhere she moved, whether on the court or the sidewalks. Poonam Chaturvedi, at 7 feet, dominates above the competition. Her height and basketball talent helped her get into the Indian women’s basketball team while growing up in small-town Kanpur. She is currently India’s tallest female basketball player.
Indian Railway’s Hoopstar Poonam Chaturvedi is a fan favorite. Poonam’s 7-foot-tall figure draws attention when she enters the court with her teammates or when she catches a pass during the match and elevates the ball far above the reach of her opponents.
Let’s check out the details of India’s tallest Basketball star Poonam Chaturvedi.
Personal Life:
Poonam Chaturvedi was born on 1st July 1995 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Her father Mr. Shriram Chaturvedi works as a constable with the Uttar Pradesh police. Her mother is a homemaker. She has a younger brother and Poonam loves to shoot funny reels with him on social media. As per Poonam Chaturvedi, her height is a gift from her parents. Both her parents are approximately six feet tall.
Initial Stage of Chaturvedi’s Career:
She began playing basketball in 2009. She finished her tenth grade at a local school and started practicing it in her spare time. Her neighborhood mates and children used to be afraid of losing since they thought Poonam Chaturvedi’s height would overwhelm them. On a Saturday evening, one of her uncles saw her game and suggested her parents allow her to flourish in this sport. Then she moved into a hostel and began delivering trips at Kanpur’s Green Park stadium.
The Grand Entry into Basketball Team:
During her playing in Kanpur, the Coach of the Chattisgarh Women’s Team Mr. Rajesh Patel called Poonam and offered her to join the Chattisgarh Team. Poonam also felt that Kanpur Stadium wasn’t capable of offering access to state- or national-level sports. She then relocated to Chhattisgarh and began playing for them in 2009.
Her talent helped the team to achieve the Federation Cup Basketball in 2014.
Strengths of Poonam Chaturvedi:
When opponents observe Poonam holding the ball, they are concerned that it is now out of bounds. The rest of the players are below her waist, and her height makes them fearful of losing the game. She doesn’t have to hop when playing, and the other players can’t even reach her chin. Poonam’s passion for her career also distinguishes her. She played and scored while suffering from severe brain tumor discomfort.
Weakness of Poonam Chaturvedi:
In comparison to other players, her body is frail and her arms are weak. Because she cannot run as fast as the other team members, she is pushed by them. Her coach believes she should exercise more and gain weight.
Poonam Chaturvedi’s Diet and Exercise Routine:
Poonam is a vegetarian, hence she lacks muscle mass and cannot carry high weights. Her eating options are not straightforward. As a result, her trainers forbid her from doing heavier activities such as squats and lunges. Her coach believes she should work on her body structure.
Poonam Chaturvedi’s Difficulties in Everyday Life:
Poonam Chaturvedi has slender arms and a frail torso. Because of her tall stature and frailty, her body readily swings and flails when she sprints or collides with other players. In the gaming court, she is frequently pushed around. Other daily hurdles in her life include riding in a car, finding a bed that fits her, and entering a place. Finding a pair of shoes for Poonam is the most challenging part of her life, according to her. Her shoe size is 14, which is difficult to find.
Poonam Chaturvedi and her colleagues put two sarees together to drape her at the Asia Cup opening ceremony. For her and her teammates, it was a hilarious incident. Poonam Chaturvedi’s teammates must stand on chairs to talk to her due to her height.
Poonam Chaturvedi’s disease:
While her height has made it easier for her to join the National Basketball Team, she has already been through a lot in her personal life. She had a deformed upper lip from birth, which caused her to be unable to talk properly as a child. She had two operations with several smaller surgeries for this.
Poonam Chatuvrvedi was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2014. As a result, she began to experience acute headache aches. Her tumor was 3.1mm in size at the start, but it was steadily reduced to 2.1mm by the end. Poonam had been getting Ayurvedic brain tumor treatment since 2013, and her health had improved dramatically by 2019.
In 2019, she was entirely cured of the tumor. Poonam suffered greatly as a result of the Ayurvedic treatment and Japanese Acupuncture Magnet Therapy.
Poonam’s outstanding performance in basketball competitions wowed the people of Chhattisgarh. The Bhilai Steel Plant pledged to cover all of her medical bills. Poonam was also supported by the Basketball Federation of India. The federation covered everything from treatment to medical costs.
