Brave Hearts

SR No.: 006999
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Eye Care Foundation
Publication Year: 2009
Total Pages: 162
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 6 MB

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The Brave Olympian completed the events but, again won the gold. He was the first competitor who had won the gold in two successive Olympics. The other who emulated Bob was Daly Thomson of England who won the gold Medal successively in the 1980 and 1984 Olympics.
Parul Parmar of Gandhinagar in Gujarat is polio-stricken and yet she has proved her mettle as an ace badminton player at the National and International levels. The game of badminton requires fast-paced movements of the legs and Parul is afflicted with Polio and yet she plays with agility and speed of an accomplished player. She has won more than forty gold medals at the national and international competitions.
During her childhood, she fell ill and the temperature shot up to 105 degree. The doctor gave her an injection which caused paralysis in her right leg. She was advised physiotherapy for an hour and a half every day. A friend of his father Dalsukhbhai suggested playing badminton in lieu of physiotherapy and she won her first gold medal when she was in std. 7. In 2002, at the age of twelve, she became the state champion. Later she learnt that there were competitions for physically challenged too. In 2002 she participated in All India Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Tournament for the physically challenged and won gold medals in women's singles and mixed doubles. She was, then, selected to participate in Badmintan for Disabled World Cup organised in India and on her birthday she won two gold medals. This signaled her entry into Asian Paraplegic competition in Malaysia and earned for herself gold medals in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Parul, the indefatigable, got a job in the postal department and the committed employee won badminton championship seven times for the department. Once she visited Israel and there the female players could not make it for the competition owing to war and the organisers told her that she could compete with the male players if she wished. She, without batting her eyelids, accepted the challenge and won a silver medal in mixed doubles.
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