The first thing that strikes you about Manasi Joshi is confidence. She is full of it. She speaks with total conviction and leaves no one in any sort of doubt about what she means. At the RevSportz conclave in Kolkata earlier this year, she left the audience spellbound with her straightforwardness and clarity of thought. It was immediately evident that here is an extraordinary person.
Extraordinary she certainly is. In a few days from now, Manasi will represent India at the Paris Paralympic Games. She is a former world champion in women’s para-badminton in the SL3 category and one of India’s medal prospects in Paris, where the country will be hoping to cross the tally of 19 medals it secured in the previous edition.
This 35-year-old born in Rajkot and brought up in Mumbai had her left leg amputated following a road accident in 2011. One can only imagine what she might have gone through. But unlike most persons, who would have gone into depression following this kind of a mishap, Manasi turned this into her strength. A keen badminton player from her schooldays, she found life afresh in the game.
The beginning was obviously not easy, but Manasi summoned enough mental strength to not look back. That could have made things even more difficult. Instead, she started practising and actually immersed herself into the sport she always liked. She even sought the help of Pullela Gopichand to hone her skills. Fame, adulation and recognition came much later, after she started winning medals in international events. The initial years were full of perseverance away from the spotlight. Her hard work started paying dividends and Manasi hasn’t looked back since.
An electronics engineer by qualification, Manasi has received many accolades for her fight against the hardest of adversities. This includes being listed by the BBC among one of the 100 most inspirational and powerful women across the world in 2020. Maybe she is past her prime just as a player, but today, she is an inspiration to many. That stems from the belief she has in herself.
At the RevSportz conclave, Manasi made it very clear that she has no hesitation in talking about her disability. But, she also wondered why people at times wanted to talk only about that. Her manner of speaking and the arguments she put forward were of a supremely strong person, who knows how to deal with life. Manasi will lead Indian hopes in Paris and continue to inspire generations to come.
In other news:
Will Durand Cup semi-final and final return to Kolkata after three city giants appeal to the organisers? @debasissen @Limca_Official#DurandCup2024 #EastBengal #MohunBagan #MohammedanSporting pic.twitter.com/hcIu9YowEp
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) August 21, 2024
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