GUJARAT : In the dusty lanes of Moti Babariyat village in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district, a young boy once struggled to walk without losing balance.
That same boy will line up against some of the world’s fastest para sprinters at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Rakesh Bhatt, a para athlete from Talaja, has earned a place in India’s squad for the 2026 Commonwealth Games after years of perseverance, transforming a childhood marked by physical challenges into a career of international success.
Born on April 14, 2001, into a farming family, Rakesh is the youngest of six siblings. He was born with cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that affects movement, balance and muscle coordination. The left side of his body is significantly affected, making everyday activities such as walking and running difficult.
His early years revolved around treatment, physiotherapy and constant effort to improve his mobility. In a family with modest means, his parents worked tirelessly to ensure he received medical care and education. While his mother accompanied him to physiotherapy sessions, his father balanced farming with caring for his son’s special needs.
Walking to school was often a challenge, but Rakesh refused to let his disability keep him out of the classroom. He studied with other children in his village school until Class V before moving to the Sadvichar Parivar-run Apang School at Uwarsad in Gandhinagar. He developed the resilience that would later define his sporting career.
Competing in the T37 category for athletes with cerebral palsy and similar neurological conditions, Rakesh specialises in the 100m and 200m sprint events. Since September 2024, he has trained at PACE Academy on the Gujarat University track under former Sports Authority of India coach Apurba Biswas.
He announced himself at the 2022 National Para Athletics Championships by winning gold in both the 100m and 200m events. The following year, he represented India at the Para Asian Games in China and claimed silver medals in both sprint events at the Dubai World Para Athletics Grand Prix. In 2024, he added another silver in the 100m at the Dubai Grand Prix.
The momentum continued in 2025 with silver medals in both events at the Morocco World Para Athletics Grand Prix and a sixth-place finish at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi.
This year has been his most successful yet. He won double gold at the Delhi World Para Athletics Grand Prix, repeated the feat at the 24th National Para Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar and again topped both the 100m and 200m podiums at the 8th Open National Para Athletics Championships in Bengaluru, securing qualification for the Asian Games.
Rakesh has collected 15 gold and 18 silver medals at the national level, besides three gold and two silver medals in competitions. His selection for the 2026 Commonwealth Games is a landmark moment not only for him but also for Gujarat.