New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS): While interacting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence, Indian para-athletics coach Satyapal Singh has revealed that coaches at Nehru Stadium thought he was wasting time in training para athletes.
India achieved their most successful performance in Paralympic history at the Paris 2024 Games, securing a total of 29 medals - seven gold, nine silver, and 13 bronze. This achievement surpasses the 19-medal haul from Tokyo 2020, which included five golds.
The record haul also meant that India crossed the 50-medal mark in their Paralympic history after taking their overall medal haul to 60 medals with 16 gold. 21 silver and 23 bronze.
"In 2005-06, I started training para-athletes. When I used to go to Nehru Stadium for training, I saw one or two athletes there who had limb deficiencies. I observed them, then heard about Devendra ji, who had won a gold medal at the Athens 2004 Paralympics. That’s when I began studying para sports and slowly started training them," said Singh to PM Modi.
"All the coaches at Nehru Stadium used to look at me strangely, wondering why I was pushing Deepa Malik ji's wheelchair or holding Ankur Dhama's hand to guide him around the stadium, and why I was training para-athletes. They thought I was wasting my time. Today, the same coaches who used to criticise me now want to train para-athletes," he added.
Indian para-track and field athletes have won seventeen medals, including four gol medals, at the recently concluded Paris Paralympics.
"I have worked hard in this field, and I am very happy. In the coming time, I promise you that we will not stop at 29 medals, but we will work so hard that we will bring 50 medals," the Dronacharya awardee said.
As one of India’s most successful international coaches, Singh has worked with a multitude of national and international sporting bodies. His roles as a member of organisations have ranged from competition manager of the Athletics Federation of India to coach of the Indian Para-athletics team from 2007 in international competitions, including multiple Paralympics.
His achievements include being the youngest ever Dronacharya Awardee and being one of the most successful International coaches from India.