Dipika Pallikal adamant she will not play nationals till pay disparity exists in squash

New Delhi: Miffed with gender inequality, ace Indian squash player Dipika Pallikal, asked on Thursday, why women in the country can’t get equal respect and prize money?

Pallikal, who has been fighting gender inequality in India for the past four years said “I have no clue as to why they are not changing it when everything in our country is changing. Women in the country are doing really well so why can’t we garner equal respect and prize money,” Pallikal told The Hindustan Times.

The 24-year-old from Chennai, who is currently 17th in world rankings, last played the Nationals in 2011.

Pallikal feels that it's a matter of respect rather than money.

“I have always said it is not about the money. It is about the respect you have towards women. We train equally hard as men. We put in a lot of time and effort just like they do,” added Pallikal.

When asked will she continue to stay away from the Nationals?, the star squash player said: “Hopefully, the people concerned will look into it. There is not much I can do… self-respect is really important. I am not going give in to anything, and until we get the respect I will not be playing the Nationals.”

As per the newspaper, at the Squash Rackets Federation of India’s (SRFI) Nationals in Kerala last December, Saurav Ghosal, the men’s winner, walked away with a prize of Rs1,20,000, while the women’s champion Joshna Chinappa pocketed only Rs 50,000.