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Paralympian defies all odds
Girish Sharma, a para-badminton player and a gold medalist at Asian Paralympics Cup, was felicitated with sports gear, accessories and prosthetic limbs worth Rs 4.5 lakh recently. His determination and down to earth persona mixed with confidence is a worthy of admiration and proves that no matter whatever the circumstances are, you can still be a champion in your preferred field
Nothing is impossible provided one has the positive attitude, will power and commitment for hard work. Philosophical indeed, but this inspires para-badminton champion Girish Sharma who is a gold medalist at the Asian Paralympics Cup. He had lost his leg in a dreadful train accident when he was just 18-months-old and his feats are awe-inspiring
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Girish Sharma, a para-badminton player and a gold medalist at Asian Paralympics Cup, was felicitated with sports gear, accessories and prosthetic limbs worth Rs 4.5 lakh recently. His determination and down to earth persona mixed with confidence is a worthy of admiration and proves that no matter whatever the circumstances are, you can still be a champion in your preferred field. In a conversation with the CityTAB, Girish tells about the challenges he faced, the people who supported him and his dreams.
As a kid we were often asked what is our ambition; a question Girish too was asked and he always said with a patriotic zeal, to join the Indian Army. But as time started flying, he realised how he would not be able to fulfill his dream because of his disability. This setback in life did not stop him and today he is a badminton champion who internationally represented India in countries like Germany, Israel and Thailand.
When asked about his hardships, not even once he mention about his disability becoming a barrier but rather mentioned how they are being treated and recognised. Girish’s commendable efforts have never been recognised by the government.“I won gold medal in the Paralympic Asia Cup but still I was not given any recognition and even now I have to pay from my own pocket for championships being held outside. Despite playing from and for India, the government never sponsored me.
You will never see this kind of situation when it comes to the abled sportsperson and especially cricket where lakhs and crores are being spent. It is people like us who wants to do it and has the passion but never get the facilities which we are suppose to get.” he laments. Girish, who also rides bicycle and is into other sports, owes it to his parents and friends who support him. “We are three brothers but my parents never made me feel any different.
They have always treated us equally. They always stood by me and supported me in every way,” says a beaming Girish.Talking more about his future plans, he says, “My dream is to achieve a gold medal for my country in the 2016 Disabled Badminton Olympics. I always wanted to do something for my country and make them proud of me. So my eyes are all set on Olympics for now.
Girish Sharma signs off with a message that “you are physically disabled but not mentally. The effort is yours and the fruits will surely come from the hard work you do. Life is too short, so no form of disability should stop you from living life to the fullest.”
By:Meenakshi Sengupta
