Paralympian Bhavina Patel: Kuchh aisa karke dikhana tha jo kisi ne na kiya ho!
Life has taken a 360 degree turn for Bhavina Patel since she became India’s first table tennis player to win a medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. Describing the feeling as “amazing”, she says, “Koi na koi phone kar hi raha hai jabse medal mila hai. It’s amazing! Bahut achha lag raha hai.”
She has become the second athlete after Paralympian Deepa Malik, to achieve this feat and praising her, says: “Deepa ma’am ne humesha motivate kiya hai. Bahut achha support diya hai yahan tak pahuchne ke liye,” says the silver medallist, who is scheduled to return to India on September 5, and is chuffed at the thought of relishing homemade daal dhokli, which her mother makes, and gol gappas. “Maine dedh saal se achhe se khana hi nahi khaya. Jo bhi mere mann ki cheezeing hai woh maine chui bhi nahi. Wheat flour, kuch spicy bhi nahi kha rahi thi. I had to follow a strict diet plan,” she adds.
Congratulatory messages have been pouring in from all quarters, but that wasn’t always the case for Patel, who was diagnosed with Polio when 12-month-old. “Mummy, papa bahut khush hain. Woh yeh bol rahe hain ki meri wajah se unka naam hua hai. Bahut saare log jo kabhi call bhi nahin kiye the, woh log bhi ghar aake congratulate kar rahe hain. Har koi aake unko proud feel kara raha hai. Jab main gaanv mein rehti thi, sabke dimag mein yehi tha ki, ‘Yeh bade hoke kya karegi’, ‘Kaise padai karegi’, ‘Isse shaadi kaun karega’. Par mere dimag me humesha se ek hi cheez rahi, kuch kaisa karke dikhana tha jo kabhi kisi ne na kiya ho. Mujhe ek cheez samajh aa gayi ki mai kisi pe dependent nahin rahungi, self-dependent rahungi!”
The para paddler did set the ball rolling for other athletes since it’s been raining medals at the Paralympics after her win. And she says she couldn’t be more ecstatic. “Saare log apne game ko leke serious hain aur itna achha performance de rahe hain; yeh bahut badi baat hai. Hume itna confidence hai ki yahan se jane ke baad woh apna effort nikalna shuru karenge. Next time Paralympics mein aur zyada players qualify honge,” she opines.
And though Covid-19 has been tough on most athletes, Patel says it helped her up her game. “Covid se pehle hi mere husband ne ghar pe table arrange kar diya tha. Meri ek bhi din practise ruki nahi. Mere liye yeh bahut achhi baat ho gayi ki mujhe practise ke liye zyada time mil gaya!”
Often, the pressure on athletes is unimaginable. But Patel says keeping calm is of utmost importance, and shares how yoga and meditation came to her rescue. She says, “Mujhe kitne bhi ghante de do mera pet nahi bharega yoga aur meditation karke. Jab khelne ki baat aati hai toh yahan par mind pe control bahut zyada hona chahiye. Mere coach sir ne bol diya aap ek free meal le sakte ho. Par yeh aap pe depend karta hai ki aapke liye kya sahi hai aur aap right decision lo. Yeh chhoti baatein bhi mind pe effect karti hai aur strong banati hain. Uss time pe apne mind ko control kar diya toh bahut bade level pe mind ko control kar sakte ho!”
Author tweets @Nainaarora8
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