Amit Kumar Saroha fights a battle with himself first, and then his competition

Amit Kumar Saroha is one of the most seasoned para-athletes in India’s 54 athletes strong contingent. Much like Devendra Jhajharia, Amit will also be competing in his third ever Paralympics. Over the years, Amit has been a strong source of inspiration for many para-athletes. Besides being an athlete himself, Saroha has coached a number of athletes who have won medals, and laurels for the country. In this personal collection of achievements, a Paralympics medal is missing.

Amit Kumar, a former national-level hockey player was forced to leave the game after he met with an accident at the age of 22. However, the road to the Tokyo Paralympics also wasn’t an easy one for the F51 club throw athlete. Just before the national trials, Amit had contracted the virus, making the journey tough for him. In an interview with Sportstar, Amit opened up the problems he had faced at that time.

“Covid has significantly affected even an ordinary person and when there was already a severe disability like mine, it created even more problems,” Saroha said.

“Obviously, there were many problems physically as every time I’d start training (after recovering from Covid-19), some complication would occur. Such was the situation around the country that it also mentally disturbed many. But I feel that as an athlete, we are strong to fight any circumstances. I have overcome difficult situations in the past. I knew I will get through this hurdle too, just like I always have,” he added.

Amit Kumar Saroha has motivated many

Over the course of him being a para-athlete, Amit has been able to motivate many to take up para-sports. He has also been able to coach them, guide them, and encourage them into becoming exceptional athletes. In 2021, Amit was also conferred with the Arjuna Award for his contribution to para-sports. He was also the first quadriplegic to represent the country in the Paralympics. He has also been invited to IIT Guwahati and BITS Pilani as a guest speaker. There he inspired a generation of young students.

At the current Tokyo Paralympics also, he would be competing with and against his students for a podium finish. His student Dharambir, who had also qualified for the men’s club throw event will be one of his closest competitors. Ekta Bhyan, who considers Amit Saroha as her mentor, will make her debut at the Paralympics. In 2014, Ekta started playing sports to get physically fit before one of her interviews published in a newspaper reached Paralympian Amit Kumar Saroha who was more than willing to help her in whatever way possible. The biggest advice he could have given her was to take up Club and Discus Throw. And the rest is history, so to speak.

“The problem is that in Indian sports, people don’t think about anyone else apart from themselves. Being a senior athlete, it is our responsibility that we push other athletes in different sports too so that the future generation is encouraged and gets benefitted from our experience,” said the Arjuna awardee.

Facing competition

Even for Dharambir, Amit Kumar Saroha isn’t just a competitor anymore. He is a great coach and mentor. Three years ago, at Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Amit and Dharambir had podium finishes with gold and silver medals respectively. “It was a proud moment for me that we both were on the podium,” said Amit.

Amit also acknowledges that the competition will be tough this year, owing to the circumstances, and the lack of audience to cheer the players on. Amit’s toughest competition would be the reigning Olympic champion and world record holder, Zeljko Dimitrijevic of Serbia, and Marian Kureja of Slovakia. They both have previously beaten Amit by 0.19m for bronze in Rio.

When asked about his biggest competition, Amit said, “Every single athlete will be well prepared and it is not like I’m considering someone a big competitor. I’ll be competing against myself and will try to give my best. I am not targeting or focusing on anyone else.”

Needless to say, the Paralympics have already begun, and so has the quest for medals. Even the current world record holder in javelin. Devendra Jhajharia says that he believes this year could be a year of many medals and mostly golds for the country.