Arjuna Awardee Paraplegic Sportswoman Deepa Malik, marking her name in the limca Book of Records for the fourth time in various adventure sports followed with 55 National medals and 13 International medals, has qualified for the ‘Short Put Throw 53’ category for the Rio Olympics 2016. She wants the State Governments to provide the Para-athletes infrastructural and basic facilities at rural level.
The 46-year-old lady chose Para-sports after facing the spinal tumor attack for the second time in life in 1999.
Talking to The Pioneer during a University Grants Commission sponsored National Seminar on Women Empowerment and Sports at Rajnandgaon on Thursday she felt players belonging to her category should never lose hope. Excerpts:
Before choosing the path of Para-sports, you have the tag of being the daughter of an Indian Army Officer and also wife of an Indian Army Officer. Also, you are daughter-in-law of a Former General in the Indian Army. How does it influence your spiritIJ
It is indeed a blessing as I have learned to face the unknown challenges. There’s a Plan ‘B’ in Army which means to be prepared for any kind of situation and use it as back up. It did help me in 1999 when my husband was fighting in the Kargil War and I was handling my elder daughter alone. It was then doctors confirmed about my second spinal tumor slowly paralysing my body parts below chest and my elder daughter Devika met an accident while learning to walk. Also, it helped me when I decided to chase my passion of marking a different identity in the field of para-sports. Today, I mark the only Asian Para-Sportsperson of my age to play active sports events.
What about your Rio Olympics planIJ
As I have made it to the Rio Olympics, I want to get a tattoo of the grand game on the five fingers of my right hand. I hope to perform well in the upcoming phase of this game at Doha in March.
You are a panelist in the Working Committee of the Sports Policy for Specially-abled Sports of the Central Government. Tell us about your plansIJ
I became a panelist of this Policy Making Body in 2012 and will remain to be here till 2017. I made the members frame four policies exclusively for the Specially-abled players. Now, my next focus is to ensure that those policies are implemented. Apart from this, I want the State Governments to ensure basic infrastructural facilities to players of my category at rural level. It is highly required at district and block levels.
How does it feel to be mother of two daughtersIJ
Great! A woman is a shock absorber and owns the potential of multi-tasking. I and my elder daughter Devika are the first mother-daughter pair to contest the Para-Olympic Games together. It feels great. Infact, my elder daughter is an international fame player. She was felicitated by Queen of Buckingham. I am a graduate but my daughters are pursuing further studies. My elder daughter has been invited for Doctorate in Sports Disability by a UK based University. Younger daughter is in BBA final year.
What about your husband’s encouragementIJ
I learned biking and car driving at an early age. Even got married quite early i.e 20 years. My husband has always been supportive. He never ensured his presence in any of my sports activities because he knows I can handle alone. He always keeps saying “Yes, you can. I have full faith in you”, be it at home or in my professional life. Though my trainer accompanies me.
Being a sportsperson and woman Para-athlete, how does it feelIJ
It is only because of sports, I did not lose confidence when the entire world denoted me “hopeless” due to my disability. I proved my ability in that disability.