It’s different kind of welcome initiative

SSF Research Lead Manasi Satalkar said the aim was mainly to sensitise coaches and support staff about menstrual health issues, period products and hygiene-related concerns that female athletes face

Hyderabad: The Simply Period Kiosks, a joint initiative of the Bihar State Sports Authority (BSSA) and Simply Sport Foundation (SSF) during the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar, drew young athletes, coaches, support staff and sports fans, eager to know, engage and take part in a survey.

SSF Research Lead Manasi Satalkar said the aim was mainly to sensitise coaches and support staff about menstrual health issues, period products and hygiene-related concerns that female athletes face.

“We also collected data to get a sense of the ground reality and of the opinions of different groups like athletes, coaches and support staff,” she said. Elaborating on the survey, Manasi Satalkar said SSF collected data around five major themes.

“We focused on hygiene, infrastructure, period management in sport, communication about menstrual health and period-product knowledge and acceptance of products like tampons and cups,” she said.

She was happy that nearly 800 responses were collected over the first week. “We plan to release the findings of the survey along with the BSSA so that everyone knows the major concerns around the subject and the recommendations going forward,” she said.

The participants in the survey were given period-care kits by the hygiene partner but, Former India women’s Rugby team captain Neha Pardeshi, now Secretary of Delhi Rugby and doubling up as the girls team that won bronze here, nodded in appreciation.

“This is a very good initiative and we need more of this at all levels, not just in National events,” she said. Manasi Satalkar said that based on the initial feedback from Rajgir, those who went to the SSF kiosk were more shy than in Patna.

“But it was heartening that when a slightly older woman expressed reservations that it was obscene to discuss such things in public, a girl athlete told in a polite but gentle manner that this was an important subject and there was no shame in discussing it openly,” she said.