The power of persistence

Thirukkural with the Times explores real-world lessons from the classic Tamil text ‘Thirukkural’. Written by Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar, the Kural consists of 1,330 short couplets of seven words each. This text is divided into three books with teachings on virtue, wealth, and love and is considered one of the great works ever on ethics and morality. The Kural has influenced scholars and leaders across social, political, and philosophical spheres.

Motivational speaker, author and diversity champion Bharathi Bhaskar explores the masterpiece.

Tears, laughter and tricolour flags fluttered in the wind on that dazzling night, when the Indian women ’s cricket team lifted the women’s ODI world cup. Decades of waiting, countless quiet struggles — culminating in a single, breathtaking moment of victory.

In the semi-finals before this victory, when Jemimah Rodrigues walked in to bat against the mighty Australians, India was staring at an impossible chase of 338 runs. Every ball seemed to test her resolve. But she stood firm — slender frame, steady eyes, unyielding faith . Her 127 runs were strokes of belief, not just skill. The heroic semi-final victory paved the way for India to enter the final and lift the cup.

But this triumph did not bloom overnight.

The first generation of Indian women cricketers — pioneers such as Shanta Rangaswamy and Diana Edulji — played when cricket for women was almost an act of defiance. They travelled by train, often buying their own equipment, sometimes even funding their trips. There were no crowds, no sponsors, and no headlines.

Then came the next generation, where the struggles of players like Mithali Raj were different, but no less real. The world had begun to take notice, but not celebrate. The men’s game glittered with contracts and cameras, while the women’s team still lived in the half-light.

And then came the present — Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma — women who carried the strength of two generations within. Jemimah, dropped from the match against England, returned to script history against Australia. Shafali, not even in the original squad, was called in at the last minute — and her 87 runs in the final turned the impossible into triumph. Those once sidelined became the ones who conquered.

That same undaunted spirit lives beyond the boundaries of sport.

In my field, of public speaking, I once traced the story of the first woman who dared to stand before a microphone. My search led me back to 1909, to Parthasarathy Swami Sabha in Chennai, where a woman named Saraswathi Bhai delivered a religious discourse interwoven with songs. The notice of the sabha termed her a ‘lady Bhagavathar’, and the audience gathered — some to listen, some merely to watch a woman on stage.

Her courage came at a price. Male performers, angered by her presence, threatened to boycott sabhas that invited her. Musicians who accompanied her were warned of ostracism. But Saraswathi Bhai waited — with grace, patience, and faith that never dimmed. And one day, in Pune, she sang before Lokmanya Tilak, who, moved by her voice and spirit, honoured her with the title ‘Keerthana Padu’ — the singer of divine songs. From ridicule to reverence, her journey was incredible.

History is full of such women. Emily Dickinson once wrote, “Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door.” She wrote in silence, trusting that her dawn would one day arrive — and it did but she was not around to see that.

Thiruvalluvar writes about people who survived adversity.

Sidhaividaththu Olgaar Uravor PudhaiAmbir

Pattupa Doondrum Kaliru.

(Kural 597)

The undaunted quail not when things go wrong — like the elephant that stands firm even when wounded by a shower of arrows.

Valluvar ’s wisdom reminds us that true strength lies in the quiet dignity of those who keep walking even when wounded, who carry their pain without bitterness, and who trust that perseverance itself is a form of victory. That, truly, is the story of Jemimah, Shefali, of Saraswathi Bhai — and of every woman who waited for her dawn, yet never relented.