Galloping to Glory

India's equestrian trailblazer Anush Agarwalla rides towards Olympic dreams in the artful sport of dressage

- Suhani Singh

In September last year, India scripted history as it won its first-ever gold in dressage, an equestrian event that is as much a performing art full of balletic finesse as it is a technical sport. An integral part of the four-member squad was Anush Agarwalla, who also claimed an individual bronze at the competition. Already the only Indian to have competed at the World Dressage Championships, Agarwalla recently scripted more history having earned the country its first-ever spot in the event at the Olympics. It’s still not confirmed if he will be headed to Paris come July, but the 24-year-old rider from Kolkata fancies his chances. “I feel that I will go. My results talk, you don’t have to prove anything else,” says Agarwalla, world-ranked #82. “The most I can do is work hard on myself and my training and perform better.”