Asian Games: India's elderly bridge players aim for glory

[Nergal]

 

For the first time, the card game bridge has been featured as a sport at the Asian Games. The BBC's Vandana Vijay speaks to two elderly women representing India.

Until her 50s, Hema Deora was busy taking care of her sons in Delhi, or touring the country with her politician husband Murli Deora, a former petroleum minister.

Now at the age of 67, she is representing India in a sport she often played with her friends at home every Saturday.

Her teammate Rita Choksi is 79 and one of the oldest competitors at the Games, which began in Jakarta on 18 August and will end on 2 September.

Ms Deora and Ms Choksi never thought they would play bridge at the Asian Games, let alone represent their country. Their dreams came true after the organisers of the Asian Games recognised bridge as a sport in 2018.

Bridge and chess are the only "mind sports" recognised by the International Olympic Committee but they were not found eligible for the Olympics.

However, the card game is the fourth "mind" sport to appear at the Asian Games after board games like chess, go and xiangi, which have been featured at previous events.

Bridge is a game played by millions of people across the world in competitions and at social events.