Training, competing across the world and prepping for the 2026 Asian Para Games. Currently I am: Living out of a suitcase!
On my playlist: Alakh Niranjan, by Ram Miriyala and Sadhguru; Goosebumps, by Travis Scott (featuring Kendrick Lamar); Shinunoga E-Wa, by Fujii Kaze. One thing I would never buy: Drugs. Last thing I ordered online: Fitness and training gear.
Low point in life: Missing a medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games after finishing 4th. Because of something I’ve achieved, high point in life: Every time the Indian flag goes up when I stand up on the podium. Today I’m craving: Hot Hyderabadi biryani.
App I check before bed: Instagram.
I tell myself “just one reel”… and suddenly, an hour has passed.
Advice I’d give my 18-year-old self: Stop worrying about how long success will take. My most star-struck moment: Meeting Sachin Tendulkar at his home in 2021. If I could travel back or forward in time, I’d… love to see where Indian para sports are 20 years from now. From HT Brunch, September 12, 2026 Follow us on www.instagram.com/htbrunch
Just keep showing up. My favourite subject in school: Mathematics. I’d swipe right on: Humility. My secret skill: I remember matches point by point. Even years later, I can replay rallies in my mind and analyse what I should have done differently. A magic tool I wish I had: An instant recovery button after every training session. My favourite Sunday memory: Playing outdoors from noon to sunset with friends and coming home only when my family called for me. My plans for next Sunday: Recover well, spend time with my family and then get ready for another week of chasing big goals. My favourite bad habit: Watching football matches late into the night. The best thing about fame: When a parent tells me their child started playing badminton after watching my journey. The worst thing about fame: People admire the medals, but rarely notice the years of defeats, injuries, sacrifices, and relentless early-morning training that made them possible.
