At 18, Palak Kohli became the youngest para-athlete to compete in 2021 Tokyo Paralympics. Kohli and her badminton coach Gaurav Khanna talk about her battles and emphasise that society’s attitude needs to change towards people with disabilities.
Palak Kohli: I didn’t choose badminton. It chose me. I met a person at a mall in Jalandhar, Punjab, in 2017. He asked me about my hand. I told him that my forearm had not developed since birth. He went on to tell me about para-sports and said I could do wonders if I took it up. I was surprised to hear this since we are always made to believe sports is not something for people with disabilities. My parents asked me if I wanted to pursue sports. I said no because I didn’t take it seriously then.
Seven months later, a handball trial was held in my school and we were introduced to the sport. As I stood there listening to the rules, a teacher called me aside and said, “It would be better for you to concentrate on your studies. There are quotas in education for people with disabilities and if you get that, your future will be secured as a girl.”
I was distraught. I decided to give sports a try and told my parents that I wanted to start with para-badminton. They were surprised at first but I kept insisting and they eventually agreed. We searched for the man we had met at the mall on social media and realised that he was none other than para-badminton coach Gaurav Khanna. It was a huge coincidence that he was in Jalandhar for a tournament. I met him that day and was at his academy in Lucknow the next weekend.
Palak Kohli: When I entered the academy, I saw so many athletes with different disabilities playing and making jokes, having fun with each other. From that moment on, I have never realised that I have a disability. Gaurav sir always has plans for every athlete depending on their situation, so no one ever feels left out. He never sees us with sympathy. I think that is something everyone wants in their life.
Palak Kohli: It happened in 2019. I had a bone marrow oedema in one of the calf bones in my left leg. I went through a lot of rehab sessions and therapies. But the issue kept recurring. We couldn’t find out what it was. Doctors advised me to rest but the trials for the Tokyo Paralympics were happening. I became one of the youngest athletes in the world to qualify for three categories in the Tokyo Paralympics. It was tough and having difficult schedules for matches put a lot of stress on my leg. Eventually I was diagnosed with a tumour, and had to undergo a surgery a year ago. I am back on court now.
Palak Kohli: I became the first Indian woman para-badminton player to play a semi-final in the Tokyo Paralympics and finish fourth. In the 2021 Asian Youth Para Games, I won a gold and two bronze medals. I have won more than 21 international medals in para-badminton since I made my debut in international para-sports in 2019.
Gaurav Khanna: She played in the semi-finals at Tokyo Paralympics, which is definitely a big achievement. After that, she got a tumour. It was a difficult situation for all of us to cope with — physically, mentally and emotionally.
But a year later, she has now joined a tournament in Brazil. I wasn’t keen to send her yet. The doctor also tried to dissuade her. But it was her zeal and fighting spirit that made her continue, of course as per the doctor’s advice. And now the results are in front of us. She recently defeated the world’s No. 5 player in Brazil and reached the podium.
Palak Kohli: While I was growing up, I found it very difficult to handle the situations when people judged me with my physical disability. This issue is still there in our country. People stare at us, call us different names and say things like, “God should not do this to anybody”. It has started changing but a lot of work still needs to be done to change attitudes towards persons with disabilities.
Novita Singh is Associate Director, Video, at Village Square.
