Nitesh Secures Gold as India Shines with Multiple Medals in Paralympics Badminton

Kumar Nitesh secured his first Paralympic gold in men's singles SL3, while Suhas Yathiraj and Thulasimathi Murugesan earned silver in SL4 and SU5 categories respectively. India celebrated four badminton medals at the Paris Games on Monday. Manisha Ramadass and Nithya Sre Sivan also contributed with bronze medals in women's singles SU5 and SH6, making it a historic day for Indian para badminton.

Nitesh, 29, who lost his left leg in a train accident in 2009, showed exceptional resilience and tactical skill. He triumphed over Great Britain's Daniel Bethell with a score of 21-14, 18-21, 23-21 in a thrilling final, securing India's first gold of the event. "I still don’t feel it," Nitesh said after the 80-minute match. "Maybe when I go to the podium and the national anthem is played, it will sink in."

IAS Officer to Second Straight Silver: Suhas

In the SL4 category, Suhas Yathiraj became the first Indian shuttler to win back-to-back silver medals at the Paralympics. He lost 9-21, 13-21 to France’s Lucas Mazur in the men’s singles final. "It wasn’t my day; I’m not happy with my performance," said Suhas. "In a Paralympic final, you cannot afford so many unforced errors. I should have concentrated on my strokes much better."

Suhas admitted he didn’t know how to process the silver medal and apologized to fans for not meeting their expectations. "It’s very mixed feelings -- on one hand, you’ve won silver, but on the other, you’ve lost gold. I’m sorry for letting my countrymen down."

Thulasimathi's Journey of Resilience

Thulasimathi Murugesan, born with a congenital deformity in her left hand, fought hard but lost 17-21, 10-21 to China’s defending champion Yang Qiuxia in the women’s singles SU5 category. She took home the silver medal. "I’m happy with the silver, but a bit disappointed that I couldn’t give my best," she said. "I made a lot of mistakes. I should have taken the first set."

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Manisha Ramadass secured bronze by defeating Denmark’s Cathrine Rosengren 21-12, 21-8 in the SU5 category for athletes with upper limb impairments. Later that evening, Nithya Sre Sivan comfortably beat Indonesia's Rina Marlina 21-14, 21-6 to win bronze in her maiden appearance at the Games.

Nitesh's journey to gold is extraordinary. At age 15, he lost his left leg in a train accident but remained determined. His victory ensured India retained the SL3 gold previously won by Pramod Bhagat three years ago when badminton debuted at the Paralympics in Tokyo.

The Haryana shuttler discovered his love for badminton during his time at IIT-Mandi. Inspired by fellow para shuttler Pramod Bhagat and cricketer Virat Kohli's dedication, Nitesh rebuilt his life. "Pramod bhaiya has been an inspiration. I also admire Virat Kohli for how he transformed himself into a fit athlete."

Nitesh once dreamed of joining the defence forces but had to change his path after his accident. A visit to Pune's Artificial Limbs Centre inspired him as he saw war veterans pushing their limits despite injuries.

Nitesh made his para-badminton debut at the 2016 Nationals in Faridabad and won bronze. His rise continued globally with three medals at the 2022 Asian Para Games, including a silver in singles.

Sukant Kadam had a chance to add another bronze but lost 17-21, 18-21 to Indonesian Fredy Setaiwan in the men's singles SL4 third-place play-off.

Thulasimathi faced additional challenges due to an accident that limited her left hand's mobility. Despite this, she began her sporting journey at age five and was fully immersed in badminton by seven.

Her father D Murugesan trained her for five years and introduced her to para sports. She won three medals at last year's Asian Para Games, including gold in women's singles.

Suhas Yathiraj's journey is marked by both academic and athletic excellence despite a congenital deformity in his left ankle. He earned a degree in Computer Engineering from NIT Surathkal and joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

During COVID-19, Suhas served as District Magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar and previously as DM of Prayagraj. Currently, he is Secretary and Director-General of Youth Welfare under Uttar Pradesh government.

Suhas' entry into para badminton came later in life but was swift. He also won gold at last year's Asian Para Games.

India's achievements at the Paris Games highlight remarkable stories of resilience and determination among its para-athletes.