Para Athlete Deepa Malik Honoured With Khel Ratna Award. Here's A Look At Her Inspiring Journey!

Neelu Vyas, a senior journalist, anchor, and moderator traces the journey of Parathlete or para-athlete Deepa Malik who was honoured with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 2019 and her story is completely inspiring!

"It is the size of one's will which determines success." goes the quote .....but if the person exercising the will power is someone who is tied to a Wheelchair for the last 19 years, paralysed waist down, has gone through the ordeal of three spinal surgeries and 186 stitches between the shoulder blades, and despite all these, the persona sets the record of a fiesty biker, swimmer, adventurist, athlete and turns out to be the first woman in India to win a medal at paralympic games , the woman can't be anyone but an extraordinaire...

49-year-old Parathlete Deepa Malik has left the best of the best biting the dust and as she is being wheeled inside the imposing Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 29th to receive the Khel Ratna, country's highest sporting honour, perhaps she received the loudest cheers. A journey which started with trials and tribulations of spinal surgery, tumors multiple stitches on her shoulders, hardships rejections and finally breaking the myths around her to become the Paralympian queen, Khel Ratna is the final culmination and there couldn't have been a more opportune moment for the Paralympics community in India. Many say Khel Ratna to Deepa came late but in the words of the superwoman "every award has a time fixed when it will be bestowed on the person" and that she is happy that the country has acknowledged through the medal that the Paralympians can become trailblazers'.

Recalling her childhood days wistfully Deepa says, she was always an unconventional child, wanting to do something which was very different. Her passion for biking was supremely paramount and she married her Army husband at the age of twenty only because he supported her adrenalin for biking. With two young daughters around her, Spinal tumour changed Deepa's life forever nineteen years ago. The biker who galloped like a horse became tied down to a wheelchair with one-third of her body left listless. Initially looked down upon by her own people as Bechara, Deepa refused this tag and changed her way of living. She resolved to give wings to her wishes and started chasing her dreams despite the physical condition of disability. From joining the Himalayan Motorsports Association and practicing in sub-zero temperatures for biking records, Deepa won an Arjuna award for swimming in 2012.

She has 54 national gold medals and 13 international medals in various sports including swimming, javelin throw and shot put.

In fact, she has registered her name four times in the Limca Book of Records for her sporting achievements. This includes crossing a 1 km stretch of the Yamuna river against the current in 2008, covering 58 km by riding a special bike in 2009, doing the longest (Chennai-Delhi 3,278 kms) pan-India drive by a paraplegic women in 2013, and driving across nine high altitude passes in nine days on Ladakh’s highest motorable roads. She was the first woman in the world with her disability to attempt a journey like this in 2011. Living her life on her own terms Deepa says " the only disease I suffer from is happiness "

As someone who is bred in the Army philosophy of teamwork before personal glory, Deepa says Khel Ratna coming to her after three years of her victory at Rio Olympics is an authentication of the fact that " disability sports are finding their feet in mainstream media , It's the best time to be a Paralympian in India " having fought her life against odds , there is no looking back for this golden woman who is now preparing for the next Common Wealth games as her categories of disciplines won't find space in Tokyo Olympics. Deepa reiterates "today's Paralympians in India need not worry as the environment is extremely friendly, from Apangs its an acknowldegement of the Devyangs, policies have been restructured, and the with the supportive government at the center, sky is open for today's para-athletes to explore any and everything they want. Deepa stressed that India still needed more trainers, with a vast spread of sports science knowledge which is where the country is a little off the mark.

Flanked by her daughter Devika who herself is specially-abled with Hemiplegia , another disability condition , It's no small feat the way Deepa manages her Gurgaon home remote controlling everything from her wheelchair, from attending to her two daughters to the arrangement of her house, attending practice sessions for global events and punctuating them with her social work through her Wheeling Happiness foundation which emboldens and encourages the specially-abled persons interested in sports, education or fashion. Deepa wheels herself as a motivational speaker, a symbol of women empowerment, as an international Paralympian ambassador carrying the message of peace and harmony and sportwomanship. Living with a condition or disability doesn't stop Deepa to love and pamper herself with the best of dresses, latest makeup and hairdo, and not to mention about her love for boots and footwear. Deep is any photographer's delight and always goads the photographers to film her full length so that her feet are visible. Having a sensuous look, full of zest and life, Deepa givest the teenagers a run for the money.

Don't Miss:P.V. Sindhu Wins Gold Medal At BWF World Championships, says 'I Have Waited For This Victory'

One has to see it to believe what Deepa has achieved beyond the boundaries of her disabilities. a loving and caring husband who was away fighting the Kargil war while Deepa was staring at the tragedy of her spinal paralysis along with the responsibility of two young daughters. When the reality of being not being able to do anything dawned on her, Deepa said that this was not something she was prepared for and come what may, she will fly again despite all odds. A biopic is being planned on Deepa Malik, where the first round of meetings has already taken place in Mumbai. The script will certainly be riveting but who knows it could be the next tear-jerker blockbuster. A big congratulations to the rockstar Deepa Malik on being awarded the Khel Ratna and the only quote that fits the best here is

True champions aren't always the ones that win, but those with the most guts...