Hailing from Chikkamagaluru, Rakshitha Raju, who was born with a visible impairment, discovered solace in working. She has overcome immense challenges to turn out to be the primary Indian girl to compete within the Girls’s 1500m T-11 Class on the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
Within the coronary heart of Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka, a younger woman Rakshitha Raju found her ardour for working on the dusty grounds of Ashakirana College for the Blind.
Born with a visible impairment and orphaned early in life, Rakshitha was raised by her grandmother, who herself struggled with speech and listening to disabilities. Regardless of these challenges, Rakshitha’s spirit remained resilient as she discovered consolation within the regular rhythm of her footsteps on the observe.
Her journey from these humble beginnings to changing into the primary Indian girl to compete within the Girls’s 1500m T-11 Class on the 2024 Paris Paralympics is greater than a private victory — it marks a big second for Indian sports activities, symbolising a broader push in direction of inclusivity.
At Ashakirana College for the Blind, Rakshitha’s love for athletics was nurtured below the steering of her bodily training instructor. He assured that working may open doorways to new locations, telling her that if she excelled as a runner, she may journey throughout cities and states by practice.
Travelling was her dream, and working grew to become her practice ticket! However now, the story has modified. At present, gold is her dream, and working is her ardour.
The turning level in Rakshitha’s life got here when she met Rahul Balakrishna, a coach and information runner who recognised her potential. Rahul grew to become greater than only a coach; he grew to become the muse of her athletic profession, even taking out a mortgage of Rs 2 lakh to cowl coaching and journey bills for competitions.
Whereas this help illuminated her path, she was fast to grasp that India was not a straightforward place for individuals with disabilities. “I used to be mocked by everybody, even my family members. And, my solely aim was to go away from all of the negativity,” she mirrored.
Speaking about her achievements, Rakshitha has persistently confirmed her distinctive expertise on the worldwide stage. She received gold medals in each the 1500m and 800m occasions on the World Para Athletics Junior Championships in Switzerland.
Persevering with her success, she struck gold once more final 12 months on the Asian Para Video games in Hangzhou, dominating the Girls’s 1500m T11 class with a private greatest time of 5 minutes and 21.45 seconds.
Though she missed the chance to compete within the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020, Rakshitha is extra decided to make up for it with a powerful efficiency this time round. “I’m extremely honoured and excited to characterize India on the Paris Paralympics. This journey has been crammed with challenges, however every step has introduced me nearer to my dream,” she mentioned.
As Rakshitha will step onto the observe in Paris on 1 September, 2024, she is going to carry together with her the hopes of a nation and the aspirations of numerous others who see their very own struggles mirrored in her journey.
She isn’t just working a race; she is chasing a future the place even essentially the most distant goals are inside attain.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
Sources:
Rakshitha Raju set to make India proud at Paris Paralympics as first Indian feminine athlete in 1500m race: by ANI, Revealed on 28 August 2024.
Rakshitha Raju discovered herself by means of sport. Now she needs to win gold at Paralympics 2024: by The Print, Revealed on 30 August 2024.
Who Is Rakshitha Raju, India’s 1st Feminine Athlete In 1500m Race At Paris Paralympics 2024: by india.com, Revealed on 29 August 2024.
Meet Rakshitha Raju: India’s 1500m Sensation At Paris Paralympics 2024: by NDTV, Revealed on 28 August 2024.
