London-based author and journalist, Puneet Bhandal, has introduced tennis picture books for girls to learn about the game from a young age.
For Bhandal, tennis has been her sporting passion and says that she feels the sport is overshadowed by football in the UK.
In her attempt to bridge the gap, Bhandal is keen to make sure that people continue to watch and play tennis, which is what inspired her to write tennis-based picture books.
As a woman in sport media dominated by men, Bhandal believes for women to progress, there needs to be one woman for every man in the industry.
She also says that social media has helped women in sport build their own platforms.
Speaking with Tlamelo Kganakga, Bhandal reveals the challenges she has faced and shares advice to aspiring women in sport media.
Puneet, thank you for chatting to us. Please introduce yourself and where you are from.
My name is Puneet Bhandal, I am a journalist and author of children’s books. I am from London but of Indian origin.
When and where did your love for sport begin?
I have always loved watching tennis. I started watching at a young age and the passion remained. I do watch other sports, too but tennis is my real love. I have started playing a little now but opportunities to play when I was growing up were few and far between.
What’s does a typical day in your life look like?
I don’t really have one job, so I usually break my day up into portions and focus on one thing before moving on to the next! I write a lot, but I also organize events and visit children in schools with my tennis-based picture books.
What are some of the challenges you have faced and how did you overcome them?
I think everybody faces challenges no matter what your goals and plans are. Getting books published was difficult but I was determined to do it. It all depends on how much you want to achieve the goals you have set for yourself.
You write mostly about tennis. How did you decide that the focus would be in tennis?
Simply because that is the big sporting passion in my life, and I also feel that tennis is overshadowed by football in the UK. I am keen to make sure that people continue to watch and play tennis. That is what inspired me to write my tennis-based picture books. And that is why I write tennis content too, especially around the big tournaments like the Slams.
What do you love most about your job?
I love writing in general and being able to write about things I am passionate about is the best.
What are some of your highlights?
I think publishing the first two titles in my picture book series last year was great. I have reached out to children in schools and have been able to donate around 300 books already, ensuring that children get to learn about tennis from an early age.
Looking back at the last 5 years, has the coverage of women’s sports changed both online and print?
I think every year we see some progress. I also think that social media has helped women in sport too as they can build their own social networks and announce their own news without having to rely on male journalists to do it. That gives them more power.
What do you do for fun?
I like to keep fit so swimming, running, making dance videos with my kids!
What is your greatest ambition?
I’d like to keep building on the early success of my tennis books. I hope that one day I can make them available in lots of different countries so that the sport is introduced to children – especially girls – at a young age.
What is it that people don’t know about you?
That I am on the cusp of achieving my dream – my debut fiction novel for middle grade readers is being published this summer! It was 15 years in the making and I am really excited about it. It’s called Starlet Rivals and is the first book in the Bollywood Academy series.
What progress do women still need to make in the field of sport media?
Until there is one woman for every man, we have more work to do. That must be the goal and we can’t stop until we get there.
How receptive are sporting fans to women in sport media in your part of the world?
It has improved over the years; more women are presenting and hosting sports events on TV in the UK now. It’s still male-dominated but we are making progress.
What’s your advice to aspiring women in sport media?
Keep doing it. There is no reason women can’t report on sports in the same way that men can. We must fight gender discrimination until we win!
Photo 1 Caption: London-based author and journalist, Puneet Bhandal, has introduced tennis picture books for girls to learn about the game from a young age. Photo: Supplied
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