Para high-jumper Praveen Kumar is delighted to be among the four recipients of the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, thanks to his gold-winning performance at the Paris Paralympics. However, he says he would have been happier if more para-athletes were considered for the country's highest sporting honour.
Praveen will be bestowed with the Khel Ratna alongside three able-bodied athletes—double Olympic medal-winning shooter Manu Bhaker, chess world champion D Gukesh, and Paris Games bronze-winning men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh.
Some para-athletes, including archer Harvinder Singh, who converted his Tokyo Games bronze into gold in Paris last year, have expressed disappointment at not being considered for the Khel Ratna.
This follows India's record-breaking 29-medal haul at the Paris Paralympics, including seven golds.
In an interview with PTI, Praveen said he would have been happier if more of the Paris Games medallists had received the Khel Ratna but refrained from naming anyone.
"I will only tell them not to lose heart and keep giving good performances. Only one Khel Ratna has been given to para-sports, and this number should have been more. I would have liked it if two or three more were awarded the Khel Ratna," he said.
The 21-year-old was born with a congenital condition in his legs, which left both of them "very weak" and one shorter than the other. He required regular physiotherapy, and his father became his biggest support after doctors informed him there was a 90 per cent chance he would need crutches to walk.
Praveen said he always aspired to compete with able-bodied athletes despite knowing it would be a "very tough task".
Praveen dazzled with a record-breaking performance in the men's high jump T64 event in Paris, adding a Paralympic gold to his Tokyo Games silver.
The athlete, who resides in New Delhi's South Extension and trains for seven to eight hours at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, is now focusing on winning gold at the World Para Athletics Championships, scheduled to be held in the national capital later this year.
"I feel very proud about achieving success at the Olympics and getting the Khel Ratna Award for my success. It is a dream come true for me. This award will motivate me to go for gold at the World Para Athletics Championships on my home ground," Praveen said.
As a child, Praveen often grappled with feelings of inadequacy and took up sports to counter his insecurities.
Praveen has been coached by Satyapal since 2018.
"Coach saab's flat and my flat are in the same building. I have been coaching under him since 2018. He has guided me to all the success I've achieved, and he will remain my coach in the future as well," said Praveen.
"I crave the respect that a normal person gets, that's why I compete with able-bodied athletes. I want to tell people that para-athletes are not that weak. I won the U23 junior national gold and gave the selection trials for the Paris Olympics in Panchkula as well," he recalled.
Praveen's life changed when he participated in a high jump event at an able-bodied athletics competition. This experience exposed him to the vast opportunities available for athletes with disabilities, igniting a new and inspiring trajectory in his journey.
The champion has also debunked the popular belief that success in his discipline depends on an athlete's height. Standing at a modest 5'7, he does not fit the typical profile of a high jumper.
"Yes, I've been told that high jumpers should be tall if they want to succeed. That's what science says. (But) I have power. I have played volleyball and done a lot of cycling besides playing cricket in my childhood. So, that explosive power has come from there," said Praveen, who hails from Govindgarh in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh.
Having tasted success in Tokyo and Paris, Praveen is now committed to delivering a personal-best performance at the Worlds in New Delhi this September.
"My focus is on the Worlds taking place in Delhi, and I am aiming to give my personal best. For that, I am working on power, endurance, and several other aspects of my physical fitness," he said.
