With determination and fortitude

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“Thank god that I wasn’t thrown into the dustbin just because I was disabled! My parents believed that I would live like any normal human being.

They encouraged me to believe that everything was easy to achieve, even though they knew that I wouldn’t always be able to,” says R.

Badri Narayanan, a disabled international sportsman. He has represented India in badminton for disabled persons and won four international medals, 24 national medals and 30 state and regional championships.

Recently, he won the overall championship at the Chennai RYLA Awards 2011, organised by Rotary Madurai West (Young Achiever).

“I have been a sportsman from my school days and I got a huge support from my school. I represented TN in an inter-zone match for the first time and managed to win a bronze medal.

I started practicing on my own and in 2003, I took a bronze in the national championships. I was selected to play at the international level, but I lost the opportunity because I had no one to coach.

My friends have been my support — in life, in my career and financially. They never thought of me as a disabled person — especially Krishnan uncle who motivates me, guiding me on to the right path.

My problem in life is money because I am from a middle class family. I started feeling that badminton is a game for rich people but the Lake View Badminton Federation of Madurai has come to my aid.

The federation is providing many things free of charge — I practice in the premises and my coach Mr. Somasundaram is training me for an international championship to be held in North America next month.

I am very confident about this tournament and for funds I have applied to the government — the paperwork is ready and now it has to go to our CM madam Jayalalithaa for her consideration.

My aim is to get an Arjuna Award like Ramesh Tika Ram who is my inspiration. I also want to teach talented students right from their childhood and make them no.1 international players.