Rohan Chowdhury in Paris
Sachin Sarjerao Khilari, hailing from Sangli district in Maharashtra, is India’s para-shotput player who will be debuting in the Paralympics in Paris. He was eleven when an unfortunate accident damaged his left-hand, leading to gangrene. The doctors advised amputation, but his family opted for treatment. Thanks to a successful operation, he was able to keep his arm, though it lost its ability to function. His left hand remained non-operational for two years until he regained some minor movement.
In a previous conversation with RevSportz, Sachin shared how he started javelin in school in 2006 and continued with it until 2019. During this period, he completed his B.Tech in mechanical engineering. At one point, he considered giving up on sports as he didn’t see a future in it. To support his family financially, he gave tuition to UPSC students. It was not an easy road for Sachin. In December 2018, under the guidance of Sattanarayana Shimoga, Indian Para-Athletics Head Coach, he switched to shot put and eventually earned international accolades in the sport. At the Hangzhou Asian Para Games, he won a gold medal and followed it up with back-to-back golds in the Paris and Kobe World Championships.
In this exclusive conversation with RevSportz, Sachin opened up about his preparations for the upcoming Paralympics, his mindset, dealing with pressure, the Indian support system for Para Sports, and much more.
Here are some of the excerpts:
Q: It’s great to be hosting you once again on our platform. How are the preparations going on in this final phase? How is the Paralympics different from other competitions?
Sachin: The preparations are going great. I am training in Maharashtra, and the excitement level is high. I am looking forward to the Games Village experience. While it’s true that I’ll be competing in the same sport and against the same athletes I faced in the World Championships, the Paralympics is different. Everyone dreams of being a Paralympic champion—it’s the ultimate goal. The experience of staying in the village alongside athletes from different countries also makes it special. I’m excited to be a part of it. I plan to stick to the basics in the final days and replicate what I did in the recent World Championships.
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🚨 #SachinKhilari Exclusive🚨
With back-to-back World Championship gold medals in Paris and Kobe, Sachin Khilari aims to continue the momentum in #ParisParalympics2024.
Listen to his journey of being an engineer and continuing with sport at the elite level. @devjhajharia_ is… pic.twitter.com/Ay7Ri5SEVu
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) August 24, 2024
Q: Your journey is inspiring. You’ve balanced academics and sports remarkably well, completing your engineering degree while competing at an elite level. How difficult was it? Can you talk about your journey?
Sachin: I believe academics are very important, even if you want to be a sportsperson. I come from a typical Indian family where education was prioritised over sports. I didn’t do well in my higher secondary exams, and my father wasn’t happy about it. But I continued with my sport alongside my studies. My engineering education has helped me a lot in sports. Concepts like power, mobility, and force, which are integral to my sport, were easier for me to grasp because of my engineering background. I’ve applied these engineering concepts in my training as well.
Q: Over time, what societal changes have you observed regarding para sports?
Sachin: The main change has been in awareness. Even I wasn’t aware of para-sports until 2013. Until then, I used to participate in able-bodied competitions. While preparing for competitive exams, I learned about para-sports and about Devendra Jhajharia, who won Paralympic gold. His story inspired me—how he overcame his disability, won gold, and was awarded the Padma Shri and the Arjuna Award. It showed me that one can reach the top in sports even with a disability. The scenario has changed significantly now. People are more aware of para-sports. Athletics gained traction because of Neeraj bhai, and para-sports are also receiving serious attention. People now know that there is a category called para-sports, which wasn’t the case earlier.
Q: We didn’t reach our targets at the Tokyo Olympics. Do you think the 30-medal target set for the Paris Paralympics is feasible?
Sachin: I consider myself a small athlete, so I can’t speak much on this. The Olympics campaign was a bit unfortunate for our contingent due to some injuries, mishaps, and the unfortunate disqualification. But we’ve learned from these experiences, and I can assure you that the para-athletes will give their best to reach the 30-medal mark and make up for that.
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