B-Girl India at Paris Olympics 2024.© AFP
One of the new sports introduced into the Paris Olympics 2024 roster was breaking or breakdancing. And through this, a name that has risen to popularity in the Olympics, known as B-Girl India. The 18-year-old breakdancing sensation is already a serial winner, having won gold at the 2022 European Breaking Championship and the 2023 European Games. However, B-Girl India, despite her name, does not have any correlation to India. In fact, she represents the Netherlands. So why is she known by that name?
Well, the answer comes from the fact that B-Girl India's actual name is India Sardjoe. However, neither she nor her parents have any connection to India whatsoever. India Sardjoe's father is from Suriname, while her mother hails from the Netherlands. Having been born in Netherlands' The Hague, that is the country she chose to represent in breakdancing.
India is not an uncommon name among people in overseas countries. For example, former South African cricketer and fielding great Jonty Rhodes named her daughter India.
Why is India Sardjoe popular?
India Sardjoe made headlines at the Paris Olympics 2024 when she became the first breakdancer to win a breaking battle at the Olympics. Competing against Afghan breakdancer Manizha Talash in a play-off, Sardjoe won, taking her to the main group stage of the Olympics.
Sardjoe suffered a heartbreaking end to Paris 2024, losing in the bronze medal match. Even more unfortunately, she may not get another chance at the Olympics, as breakdancing won't be a part of the program for the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
Sardjoe initially played football when she was young, before switching to hip-hop and eventually to breakdancing.
Why is she called B-Girl India?
Breakdancers are nicknamed B-Girls and B-Boys, with 'B' standing for breaking. A gender-neutral term for them would be simply 'breaker'.
As her first name is India, Sardjoe earned the nickname B-Girl India in the breakdancing circuit.