New Delhi, Aug 23 : The road to glory is paved with trials and tribulations. It has been no different for Krishna Nagar, India's para-badminton sensation, who had to cross many a hurdle on his way to winning a gold medal in the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021 in the SH6 category.

Born in 1999 in the bustling city of Jaipur, Rajasthan, Nagar was diagnosed with dwarfism at the tender age of two, but never let his condition define his limits. With the Paris Paralympic Games fast approaching, Nagar is hoping to retain the gold medal in the Paralympic Games. With Pramod Bhagat out with a doping ban, Nagar is hoping to make history by becoming the first Indian para-badminton player to win gold medals in successive Paralympic Games.

In his first appearance in the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, Nagar was among the five Indians to win gold medals. Pramod Bhagat, though in a different division, also won gold, therefore he wasn't the first Indian to accomplish so.

"I haven't any target specific, but yes, I am looking forward to defending my gold medal and I am prepared for that. I know Tokyo was a long time back and I have also been off the court for a long time but my preparations are good and I will do my best to bring back the medal," Nagar told IANS in an exclusive interview.

"Being off court for a long time gives your opponent a chance to improve but I also believe that my game has also improved a lot. My smashes, which are my strength are strong. I am in good space, jumps are good, and the net game is good. Yes, it will be tough but I am ready," he added.

For Nagar, dwarfism became the springboard for his incredible journey to becoming one of India's most decorated para-athletes. Growing up in Pratap Nagar, one of Jaipur's largest residential areas, his childhood was steeped in the warmth of friendships that have endured the test of time. This close-knit circle would later play a crucial role in his life, particularly when grief threatened to overshadow his remarkable achievements.

Nagar's tryst with badminton began not in a formal training facility, but in the informal setting of a garden court, where he and his friends would engage in spirited games. It wasn't until 2016, towards the end of his teenage years, that Krishna Nagar decided to take his passion to the next level, frequenting the Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Stadium to stay fit and refine his skills. A chance encounter with another para-shuttler introduced Nagar to the world of para-badminton, setting the stage for what would become an extraordinary athletic career.

"My journey started in Jaipur but surely not in a typical fashion. The fearful mind of being a dwarf always pulled me out of sports whichever I played. I played football, cricket, kabaddi, and many others but to be good in those sports you need to be mentally strong and I was not prepared at that time. It's not like my friends or the athletes made me feel like that, it was my own fear that pulled me down, always. I have been grateful to those friends who have been always supportive of me. I thank my parents and my relatives, who never made me realise that my body is different from others," an emotional Nagar said.

Training under coach Yadvendra Singh, Nagar's talent soon blossomed. In 2018, he made a stunning debut at the Nationals in Varanasi, clinching gold medals in both singles and doubles. This was just the beginning. Under the mentorship of Gaurav Khanna, the head coach of the Indian para-badminton team and a Dronacharya awardee, Nagar's game has reached new heights.

In 2021, at the Tokyo Paralympics, Krishna Nagar etched his name in history by becoming only the second Indian para-shuttler to win a gold medal in the racquet sport, after Pramod Bhagat. His victory over Chu Man Kai of Hong Kong in the men's singles final of the SH6 class was a hard-fought battle, ending with a 21-17, 16-21, 21-17 win

"I never dreamt of representing even my state, so winning gold at the highest level was surely a proud moment for me. I never see myself as the second badminton player from India to clinch gold or anything else. Representing your country at that level is something that keeps you motivated and for me, it has always been the case. But, of course finding yourself beside Pramod Bhagat, who himself is a legend of the sport, is something that I will cherish the whole of my life. He is like my elder brother so definitely I will miss him this time but I know he will be praying for me."

However, Nagar's golden moment was soon clouded by personal tragedy. Six months after his Paralympic triumph, he lost his mother, a devastating blow that plunged him into a period of deep grief and self-doubt. The badminton court, once his sanctuary, now felt like an alien land.

'It was my downfall for sure, I lost the most important person of my life. I can't even expect my life without her, she was that close to me. So when she left me I was gutted. I was helpless at that moment, anxiety surrounded me, I was not able to focus on my sport, and I didn't even want to play the sport. It was a very bad phase for me, I can't even talk about that,' Nagar recalls.

But the story didn't end there. With the unwavering support of his friends and the grounding force of badminton, Nagar slowly began to find his way back. His resilience bore fruit when he claimed his first para-badminton World title in Thailand, winning a nail-biting final against China's Lin Naili, 22-20, 22-20. This victory was one among three gold medals for India at the tournament.

The world title makes Nagar the heavy favourite to win a second straight gold medal in the Paralympics, especially considering his recent form. Nagar has won medals in two big tournaments in the past year, indicating that his heroics in Tokyo were by no means an isolated incident.

Nagar's journey has been marked by more than just victories and losses. In March 2022, his path was once again obstructed, this time by health issues that saw him contract Chickenpox during a tournament in Bahrain. The illness forced him to withdraw from subsequent matches and return home for recovery, causing a temporary dip in his world rankings. But he is now hale and hearty and raging to prove that no hurdle is big enough to deny Krishna Nagar the success he craves.

/IANS