PARUL PARMAR

Parul Dalsukhbhai Parmar is an Indian para-badminton player from Gujarat. She had been ranked the world’s number one player in para-badminton women's singles SL3. She is a three-time world champion and has bagged gold and silver medals in Asian Para Games in Incheon, South Korea. She played against Kamtam Wannaphatdee and Panyachaem Paramee, both hailing from Thailand, to win the medals. She has won 8 international gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 3 bronze medals over her career. She currently works as a coach with the Sports Authority of India.

What is your favourite word?
My father. Whenever I face any kind of difficulties, I think of my father and easily find my way out. I have spent a lot of time with him playing around and grew up with so many life lessons. Whenever life takes me down, I hear my dad say “Come Parul, we have a long way to go. Get up. We need to walk”. No word will describe this feeling and how he motivates me from within. It's just a very instinctively strong connection I have with him. ey are.

What was the moment in your life that made you Blossom into the person you are today?
I don't think any moment could describe the changes in my life. When I look back, my family set a goal to accomplish that brought me here. They have always encouraged me towards my journey. It's like, a mentor who guides you for the journey with a compass to have clarity. But, the goal was never to become a world champion, it was to stay healthy. All that my parents wanted was for me to stay healthy. I am active. They never stopped me from going out even though I had polio in my foot, They urged me to go out and play, be healthy, and have an active childhood regardless of what. My family never considered me to be handicapped. They were always encouraging and supportive of whatever I chose to achieve. My family, professors, friends, and everyone else in my life made sure that I was never discouraged from accomplishing great things in life. That gave me the courage to stand tall and develop power. My parents, brother, and sister are the people in my life who have shaped me into who I am today.

What would you want the young boys & girls to learn from your journey?
The sports scene is completely different today compared to the days when I started my badminton career. Today, the government has also joined hands along with the other private companies to offer sponsorship to the players. Back in those days, the only thing that could ensure a job for any person was pure education and nothing else. The sport was always considered an extracurricular activity. Now things are changed. I advise today’s youth to take up sports as a serious career option. Along with securing a job in the field, they must also aim to be a better player. It's not just about you. It's about the country. The parents also need to support their children equally. Only when we all work together to promote young minds and their energies will the country achieve global success. The beauty of sportsmanship is that it begins with you, but it quickly spreads beyond you to connect with the entire globe