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Posted on 07 September 2012
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| CULTURE & SOCIETY |
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PARALYMPICS 2012 |
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‘There wasn’t a day when I thought of myself as disabled’
Girisha Hosanagara, who won a silver at London’s Paralympics, says that he is a winner because he never felt sorry for himself
Nishita Jha
London
Two months ago, Girisha Hosanagara Nagarajegowda was not supposed to be in London. Indian high jumper Sharad Kumar Yadav — ranked as world No 1 according to the International Paralympics Committee—would have replaced Girisha, now India’s sole medal winner at the Paralympic Games. When Yadav tested positive for dope this August (a claim he is still contesting in court), Girisha realised his moment to shine was near — “I didn’t win this medal only because of fate. I won it because all I have thought about for the last eight years is how to improve my technique,” says the shy 24-year-old in a rare moment of seriousness.
The past two days at the Paralympics Games Village have been a stark contrast to the rest of Girisha’s career as a para-athlete. Born to poor farmers in Hassan District in Karnataka, he discovered his athletic prowess at an early age (he won his first gold medal at 12 in school, and then went on to compete for his district, university and state). After winning a bronze medal at the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) in 2009, Girisha made a decision to stop participating in sporting events altogether — “There was no money to be made. Winning a medal meant nothing. I needed cash rewards, which no one was willing to offer,” he says. Since his silver medal win on Tuesday, the Paralympics Committee of India has promised Girisha Rs 10 lakhs. Sports Minister Ajay Maken has added another Rs 30 lakhs, along with promising him a job as a coach with the Sports Authority of India. And Tennis champion Saina Nehwal has promised him Rs 2 lakhs from her own earnings.
If Girisha had once felt slighted by authority, able-bodied officials who didn’t believe he was really an “athlete”, today he is flanked by PCI officials on either side, taking turns to pose with “the champion”.
Girisha, who describes his 1.75 m, medal winning scissor jump as “no technique, only effort”, began jumping at the age of seven to clear the walls of his compound in Wasanagar. Currently competing at the Games in the F 42 category, Girisha has virtually no power or sensation in his left leg — a condition similar to someone with an amputated leg, but with the added burden of dead weight.
Through his childhood, Girisha jumped over hedges, sand piles, cycles, whatever he could find, just to prove to himself that he could jump higher each time. “There wasn’t a day of my life when I thought of myself as disabled. I never just played cricket, I made sure I was captain, playing every position and managing everyone else,” says the Tendulkar fan. Smiling unceasingly through a day of interviews, Girisha tells a beaming throng of of Paralympic volunteers that India will be back with a contingent of at least 50 athletes next year. “You can pose with my Gold medal in 2016,” he banters. One can tell Girisha is not a man who has ever seen himself at a disadvantage. He tells me that he would like to dedicate his medal to the differently-abled community of India because he is tired of the perception that the disabled can only hope to make a living off begging at traffic signals. “No one could feel sorry for me, because I didn’t feel sorry for myself,” beams India’s silver lining in London.
Nishita Jha is a Senior Correspondent with Tehelka.
nishita@tehelka.com
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