Gym People

Have you ever avoided a place simply because you didn’t feel like you belonged there?

That’s what came to mind when I learned about Kiran Kotwani and Naari Akhada.

Kiran has built four gyms for women in Nagpur, from scratch.

But what’s interesting isn’t just the number of gyms; it’s the women who walk through those doors.

Mothers, older women.Women who never really saw themselves as “gym people.”

For many of them, walking into a conventional gym can feel uncomfortable.

You don’t know anyone. You don’t know how to use the equipment. And sometimes, you just don’t feel like you belong.

Naari Akhada changes that.

The trainer is a woman.

The person at the desk is a woman.

The people working out around you are women.

It makes the whole experience feel a little easier.

And I think that’s what Kiran has understood so well.

She didn’t try to convince women to become fitness enthusiasts.

She created a space where they could simply feel comfortable starting.

We often talk about motivation, but motivation isn’t always the problem.

Sometimes, the environment is.

Change the environment, and taking the first step suddenly feels a lot easier.

That’s what I find so interesting about Naari Akhada.

It isn’t just a gym.

It’s a place where women feel like they belong.