DC
BENGALURU Tuesday 19 October 2010
all-rounders
Swimming against
tide to find success
Paralympic swimmer Prasanta Karmakar has 2009,
taken the rugged-yet-less-travelled road in his in a small place and with Rs 5,000 a
journey towards success. He speaks about his month,
I
’m the eldest son among three chil-
dren. My mother was a homemaker
and my father a driver. My life took a
cruel turn when I was seven. I was
travelling in a bus with my grandmother
when a truck passing by hit my hand. As
if the pain wasn’t bad enough, I learnt that village near Belur where we lived. So at
my hand had to be amputated. My family
was devastated, but the news barely had an asked to compete in a disabled swimming
impact on me. For a while I believed that
like our nails grow back, my hand too
would go grow. It took me a long time to
realise that it wouldn’t happen. I adapted
to the situation rather quickly and devel-
oped skills with my left hand.
23
“MY FATHER THEN my
TOLD ME HE COULD home. I moved to
NOT SUPPORT
ME ANY LONGER four months, no one
CONCENTRATE ON loan to support
STUDYING AND
FINDING A JOB FOR fight on. I even
struggle Ameen
GETTING EVEN AGAINST ODDS
PRASANTA KARMAKAR push
As a child, I had learnt swimming in the
16, I started swimming again and I was
meet. I was dead against it, because I was
uncomfortable in small costumes. I swam
that meet wearing trousers and won a
gold!
I was not interested in studies, more so
because I was a loner back then. Guys and
Click
girls in our class hung out together, but I TRICKS
was never a part of it. I hardly went to col-
lege since I spent a lot of my time in the
pool.
In 2001, I participated in my first
Nationals, winning five gold with four Calling the
national records. I thought given my dis-
ability, success in sports would fetch me a
job and approached the West Bengal gov-
ernment, but I was brushed aside. I kept
traveller
trying and it took me six years to realise
there was no quota for disabled athletes.
In fact, people were not willing to coach
in you!
me too. In 2001, I approached SAI to train
with the abled body swimmers to enhance PRIYANKA HALDIPUR
my skills. But I was denied entry. DECCAN CHRONICLE
Through all this I kept my morale high
and continued to train. I had a problem f you are a travel buff and are look-
with physical exercise and I overcame that
too. Today, I can work out in the gymnasi-
um and do all the push-ups and other exer-
I ing for a site to give you all the
gyaan you need on the subject, look
no further!
cises like a normal person. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ is the
In 2003, I won my first international perfect website for you.
medal and from then on, kept the medals If you are dying to paint New York
coming. At the 2006 Asian Games, I won red, but aren’t sure which nightspots
a bronze medal, but was dropped for the to head to, this website will tell you
2006 Commonwealth Games because of exactly where you should be going. Or
my outspoken attitude. which destinations you can visit if
Post Asian Games in 2006, my life you’re craving a ‘festive getaway’ this
changed. All the other medalists from November.
West Bengal were given plots and Don’t worry if you are an amateur
cash awards while I wasn’t even given traveller who hasn’t ever booked tick-
a bouquet of flowers. I found sup- ets on your own, let alone having trav-
port in Haryana and started repre- elled by yourself? You can figure out
senting the state. My father then which place to go to, which hotels you
told me he could not support me can stay at, according to your budget.
any longer and that I should con- Plan your complete itinerary, with just
centrate on studying and finding a the click of a mouse.
job for myself. At that point of The ‘Things to do’ section is good
time, I was very upset. But now, I fun to check out. It gives you a low-
realise my father said that keeping down on what spots you can visit in a
my future in mind. city whether it's arty, religious, spiritual
That reaction from or architectural spaces you are inter-
father spurred me ested in visiting.
to run away from It also has informative write-ups on
engrossing subjects such as the dos
Pune and started and don’ts of photography, where you
training there. For can come by authentic cuisine from a
particular country, about the local lan-
AND THAT I knew my where- guage of that place and so on. The
abouts. After having ‘Photo of the Day’ section is a must-
SHOULD taken a Rs 7-lakh check item. You will chance upon
some breath-taking sights there!
myself, I had no Even if you are not about to travel
strength in me to anytime soon, this website is a great
place to get information on, on the
moved to Bengaluru, places you should visit at least once
MYSELF” but did not have in your lifetime.
money to sustain
myself. GoSports
Foundation stepped in to help me and in
when I was all set to quit the sport,
they gave me a new lease of life. I stayed
I managed to make a living.
One of India’s leading coaches Nihar
took me on board and continues to
train me for free. I train with the best
swimmers in the country like Sandeep
Sejwal and Virdhawal Khade. The swim-
mers are supportive and motivate me to
myself. After winning 23 medals, I
have finally been recognised following the
performance in the Commonwealth
Games. After winning the bronze medal, I
went up to the gallery to meet my parents
and they were crying and the crowd
around us cheered me. What moved me
the most was when my father said, “Mera
jeevan dhanyan hogaya (My life is now
blessed)”. This was the moment I had
always waited for.
A screenshot of the website
— As told to Manuja Veerappa