Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them. Abhinav Sharma’s introduction is two folds. He is a 17 yr old Humanities student, preparing to pursue Law and a ranking player in the under 19 SU-5 Para-Badminton Delhi Team.
Badminton has always been his dream. As a kid, watching his father play the sport triggered his curiosity. Born without a left arm, Abhinav was aware that he couldn’t play cricket, but he knew that Badminton had a place for him to shine.
It wasn’t until he turned 9 that he started playing the sport after his father bought him a Costco racquet for his birthday. His first ever tournament happened soon after, which he won earning him a Yonex racquet. It was that moment where he realized that his dream can become a reality.
Member of the Dinesh Khanna Badminton Academy, Sharma talks very highly of his coach Kawal Deep Singh who has been training him since he decided to play the sport. As he recalls, “the first-ever thing that he taught me was how to serve and I wasn’t allowed inside the court unless I could do it well. I would practice against the wall and it took me six months but when I finally learned how to do it, it felt like I had achieved something.”
Knocking down his first milestone encouraged him to work harder. The practice became a daily ritual, every day after school he could be found on the court learning and perfecting his skill set. “There’s a huge difference between a regular and a para player. I had to learn how to balance and not take a tumble on the court. I had to work on my stamina, and my speed.”
Despite being teased about his disability in school, Abhinav doesn’t feel bitter towards himself or his situation. Instead, he chooses to focus on what makes him happy. He credits his father for his positive attitude towards life. Being the only para player in his academy, he has competed against regular players and came out on top. Quoting what his father always told him, “think about the process, not the result,” he is focused on taking the baby steps it takes to reach the goal than the goal itself.
Hardik Pandya is his inspiration, after his father and his coach. The way he works out, and plays his sport; his sense of style and his demeanor is what Abhinav looks up to. Other than Pandya, he looks up to the Javelin para-athlete Sandeep Chaudhary, who won a gold medal in the 2018 Asia Para Games. Chaudhary was a ray of support and upliftment, motivating him to just do it, as he recalls their encounter.
Recalling the incident when he was trying out for the school team where a senior dismissed his ability to play, Abhinav remembers challenging him for a match and winning. He’s been a part of the school team since that day. Following what his father taught him, “there will be challenges but there is no point yelling or complaining, work towards them and your actions will prove your worth.”
Belonging to a family of lawyers, Abhinav was always advised to pay attention towards his studies for a career in law, or medicine. Other than his dad, none of his family members felt like there is any commercial success in a sport like Badminton. But the heart wants what it wants. “I never cared much about the financial aspect.” With names like Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu bringing the spotlight on the action, Abhinav wants to turn it towards the para athletes. “Till today, whenever there is a para badminton match, there is no telecast on TV or any form of media coverage. They are players representing the country as well. They’ve work hard to get there, fighting against the society who keeps reminding them that they can’t do it, why is there no recognition for them? That’s I want to change.”
Highlighting the lack of inclusivity in sports, Abhinav feels that the para players are often sidelined despite the hurdles they overcome to become a sportsperson in the first place. They are not fairly compensated, the gyms and courts where they train are in poor conditions and there are very few tournaments for the para-athletes to compete in.
After a few years of training, Abhinav had the opportunity to compete in a para-badminton tournament in Malaysia but he couldn’t due to impending surgery. Not letting this shun his spirits away, he focused on working harder towards his goals. He won the Best Badminton Player for his school, three years in a row; and won four tournaments, two inter-school and two-district level, where he competed in the regular category. In 2018, he was selected to represent the country in a tournament in Japan. Even though he lost the finals during the trial, he won hearts.“2019 was the turning point in my life after I was selected in the DelhiPara Badminton Team. I had promised my dad that I’ll bring this home. This was one of the happiest moments of my life.”
There is a fun side to the teen wonder boy beside the badminton and studies. He has a high school sweetheart he’s been seeing for the last few years. A self-acclaimed bathroom singer, he loves to dance, and party with his friends. Other than that, he is a cyclist and enjoys cycling a minimum of 20-25 km every day. He is also very passionate about fitness and has a YouTube channel dedicated to the same. His daily workout routine includes running, cycling, and working with weights to build his strength.
Despite all the hardships that have crossed his way, Abhinav Sharma has managed to keep his head held high. Keeping a positive attitude and a humble approach towards life, he is happy that he gets to live his dream every day.
Q – Who is your celebrity crush?
“Deepika Padukone”
Q- What’s your favorite food?
“Chhole Bhature.”
Q –Favorite sports to watch other than badminton?
“Cricket.”
Q – Favorite cricketer?
“Hardik Pandya”
Q – A ritual you do before a game?
“Talk to my father, talk to my girlfriend, and warm up with upbeat songs.”
Q – Dream Destination?
“The United States of America.”
Q – One valuable lesson sports has taught you?
Never Give Up, “Until the match isn’t over, you can win it.”
Q – What’s your favorite subject to study?
“Biology.”
Q – Favorite song at the moment?
“Believer by Imagine Dragons.”
Q – Favorite Musician
“Arijit Singh.”
Q – A new thing you learned to do during quarantine?
“Bake a cake!”
Q – Favorite social media app?
“Instagram.”
