Paralympic soldiers bag 12 international and 35 national medals in different Paralympics games

PUNE: A soldier is always a soldier and he never loses his morale at any situation. The Indian Army always stand by its soldiers even after they go through disabilities during their serving period and the great example of it is the Army Paralympics Node (APA), set up in Pune last year for Paraplegic soldiers.

The center, an initiative of Col. Gaurav Dutta, has managed to get 12 international and 35 national medals in different Paralympics games for the country. APA is the only official sports node for Paraplegic soldiers in the country which is supported by the Indian army.

Dutta, unfortunately, stepped on a mine blast set up for terrorists by Indian Army Kumpwara, Jammu and Kashmir in 2001. He sustained an injury on his left leg that led to its cut off. He was admitted to Pune military hospital for further treatment and went through surgery but he wanted to run again and hence doctors advice him a second surgery, which required more cut off to some inches and fit another limb to his amputated left leg.

It took him 13 years to get back on the running ground and complete a first 5000 meters run in Hyderabad, but he did not stop there as he kept on winning medals for the country in Paralympics games.

The time had come in 2017 when his initiative and constant follow up led to getting the consent of Indian Army to set up a separate training center for Paraplegic sportsmen of Indian soldiers, which was named Army Paraplegic Node.

The center is now headed by Dutta, wherein many Indian soldiers train in different games to represent India on the international level. The soldiers being trained here are equally treated like other soldiers of the Indian Army and liable to get all the benefits including their monthly salaries.