Personal Statement

My name is Annika Dhariwal, and I am a part of the class of 2023 at Cheltenham Ladies College (CLC), Cheltenham U.K.  I started playing field hockey at 11 and have had the opportunity to play with many different people.  I am in the CLC 1st team (since sophomore year), Cheltenham hockey club ladies 2nds as well as the PIS mohali hockey academy team in India. I feel the  vast range of interactions with different people through field hockey have made me a more well rounded person and player.  

I have been told by my coaches that I am coachable, impactful and make a difference on and off the field. The time I spend training with the girls team in Punjab opened my eyes to the many issues that sportspeople face in India. Due to my experiences I was inspired to write a research paper on the underdevelopment of sport in India to raise awareness on this topic.

Academics and school involvement is of equal importance to me, I am currently taking the IB diploma and am involved in running the school’s Public Policy Think Tank which I established last year. I am also part of the Schools Sports Committee which gives me a different perspective into the sporting world. Outside of school I founded Gluten Free Jio due to my own personal experiences as a Celiac living in India. Gluten Free Jio aims to increase access and awareness regarding celiac disease and living a gluten free lifestyle in India (https://www.glutenfreejio.com). Thank you for reading my profile. I hope to speak with you soon!