By Jagdish Yadav
Bhiwani (Haryana) [India], October 31 (ANI): Indian para-badminton participant Nitesh Kumar credited his father, Vijender Singh, for being his strongest supply of help all through his journey after getting back from the 2026 Asian Para Games with a gold and a silver medal.
Nitesh received the lads’s singles SL3 gold, defeating compatriot Pramod Bhagat within the remaining, and likewise claimed silver within the combined doubles SL3-SU5 occasion alongside Thulasimathi Murugesan.
Reflecting on his robust journey, which started after he misplaced his left leg in a practice accident in 2009, Nitesh stated his father stood by him throughout his most troublesome moments and continued to inspire him as he took up para-badminton.
“Of course, my father [Vijender Singh] was my biggest support, not just in my sporting journey, but my journey overall as well, like right from my accident in 2009 to till today, like winning these two medals at Asian Games, my father has been my strongest pillar. Like even when I was too low during my accident, he didn’t let me give up and he made me stronger every day by motivating me and gave me a different perspective to things,” Nitesh instructed ANI.
His father’s encouragement was notably vital when Nitesh determined to pursue badminton. While his mom initially needed him to concentrate on teachers, his father backed his curiosity in sport.
“When I started playing, he was very supportive of me to play, otherwise my mom was kind of like, he’s doing better with studies, why do we have to put him into sports and then maybe damage what we have good. But he stood with me and then kept motivating me always to give my best,” he stated.
Nitesh, who studied electrical engineering at IIT Mandi, first took up badminton as a leisure exercise throughout his time on the institute. He had initially been centered on teachers, influenced by the expectation of securing a steady authorities job, however step by step found para-badminton and determined to pursue it professionally after graduating.
The 31-year-old, who’s at the moment the world No. 1 in males’s singles SL3, stated beating the compatriot and veteran Bhagat within the Asian Para Games remaining was notably satisfying given his opponent’s standing within the sport.
“Winning a final against Pramod bhai is an achievement and then winning it in two sets it gives more value to it personally because he’s one of the strongest in the event. If we look at the mental aspect I think he’s the best in the business so I think winning a two sets final with him that too at Asian Games I think very proud of myself and very happy the way I held my nerves and went on to pull that final off in two sets and won gold,” he stated.
Having received two silver medals and a bronze on the World Championships, Nitesh stated a gold on the international occasion stays an vital goal.
“There’s no ultimate goal but it’s just that I have one thing that is still missing out on my list of medals is that I don’t have a gold at world championship. I have two silvers but I don’t have a gold. So yeah, that is what has been on my list for a longer time now that I have to get a gold at the world championship,” he stated.
India concluded its historic marketing campaign on the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, by ending fourth within the general standings with a record-breaking haul of 114 medals. This achievement marks India’s best-ever efficiency within the historical past of the Games, surpassing the official tally of 108 medals from the earlier version. Notably, the Indian contingent achieved this feat with a a lot smaller squad of simply 168 athletes competing over fewer days.
Talking about India’s rising medal haul with each version of Asian Para Games, Nitesh stated, ‘I feel rising by no means has a limits like after we got here again from Rio to Tokyo, we received extra medals. Now from Tokyo to Paris, we received extra medals. Even Asian Games, if we see the medals, variety of medals we had in 2018 Asian Games, I feel it was 72 after which we had 111 [108] in China, Hangzhou and now we’ve 114. I feel the expansion by no means has limits, however I feel we as athletes, we’re doing our greatest and that’s popping out due to the help what we’re getting from the general public and naturally from the ministry and the organizations round that they’re making an attempt to help us and strengthen us somewhat than simply trying as much as us with sympathy and that’s what is giving extra confidence to us and exit stronger.’
He stated the main focus must also be on growing consciousness and increasing India’s participation throughout extra para-sport disciplines, which might additional enhance the nation’s medal tally at main occasions.
When requested the best way to additional exceed the medal rely, Nitesh stated, ‘I feel we nonetheless have loads of para sports activities the place we do not compete in. So I feel that method we have to put out extra consciousness and we have to develop that exact method that we must always compete in any respect the tournaments, all of the occasions out there on the video games. I feel that method we will do even higher with the ultimate medal tally.’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with athletes and medal winners after each large sporting occasion and when requested how excited he’s for the upcoming interplay with PM Modi, Nitesh stated, ‘Our assembly with honorable Prime Minister has at all times been thrilling. I met him the primary time after my medal at 2018 Asian Games after which met him once more at 2023 after 2023 Asian Games then after Paris Paralympics. So it has at all times been inspiring and motivating to satisfy him and since the best way he welcomes us at his residence is at all times overwhelming and he at all times conjures up us to exit and provides our greatest and so yeah, trying very ahead to satisfy him subsequent week at his residence once more after which having few pleasant chats with him.’ (ANI)