Bihar's rugby sensation Sweety Kumari meets Nitish

Sweety Kumari, the young rugby sensation from Bihar who recently won international acclaim, has met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The 19-year-old, who hails from Barh sub-division of rural Patna, met the chief minister at the Secretariat on Tuesday in the presence of top officials.

Kumari, who was accompanied by her father Dilip Kumar Chaudhary, received accolades for her accomplishments and best wishes for a bright future. Born to an Anganwadi worker, Kumari started training as an athlete, emulating her elder brother, but was spotted by an official of the state rugby association who got impressed with her speed and encouraged her to take up the sport, which is not very well-known in Bihar.

Kumari played for the under-17 women's rugby team till she made it to the senior national side last year. She came into limelight after being named "continent's fastest player" by Asia Rugby, the game's governing body for the region, and "International Young Player of the Year" by women's rugby portal "Scrum Queens".