Gaurnashi, the champion shuttler
She was born speech and hearing impaired, but Gauranshi never let her disability come in the way of her dreams of making it big in her life and winning laurels for her country.
BHOPAL, India- With a glint in her eyes and spring in her shoes, the ever-effervescent fifteen-year-old Gauranshi Sharma tells her story with a flurry of expressions and gestures. She tells you a story of happiness, courage and achievement in her sign language. Faster than spoken sentences or words can.
She was born speech and hearing impaired, but Gauranshi never let her disability come in the way of her dreams of making it big in her life and winning laurels for her country.
She is a champion badminton shuttler and made India proud when she won the gold medal at the Deaflympiad in Brazil in 2021. But this is just a start. Many more laurels await her.
A difficult start to her exciting journey
Gauranshi's parents are her strongest support and friends. From motivating her in sports to helping her brave every challenge in life, they have stood firm with her at every stage of her journey.
Her parents were also speech and hearing impaired and couldn't believe it when her daughter was born speech and hearing impaired.
"I couldn't fathom that my daughter was speech and hearing impaired. I ran to the kitchen, picked up a plate and started banging it to check if my daughter could react to the noise," says Gauranshi's father through his gestures.
"But when I found that she was unaware of it, it broke my heart," he adds.
Growing up, Gauranshi felt discriminated against and left out when other children did not include her in their games. Her parents didn't want Gauranshi to face the struggles they had met and wanted her to dream big. They treated her outcast exactly how other children had treated her parents when they were growing up.
Badminton became her calling
After a brief interlude with other sports, Gaurnashi took a liking to badminton.
"My father took me to many stadiums. When I saw lawn tennis, I was not too fond of it because I couldn't tolerate heat. Boxing scared me because I was worried about getting injured," gestures Guranashi.
"Then I saw Badminton, and I knew this was my game," she adds.
Badminton, over the years, became Gauranshi's solace, refuge and strength. A game that changed her outlook towards life. She started training at the age of seven, realising her dream of becoming a champion badminton shuttler.
For the last eight years, Gauranshi has been rigorous in her practice. From waking up early in the morning to practising long hours to improve her game and lifting weights in the gym to make her stronger, her focus continues to be razor-sharp.
A far cry from the chubby little girl she was some years back. She has now become a world-class athlete, which her coach is very proud of. Gauranshi, as the coach says, is a speedy learner, and her disability will never limit her dreams.
"The one unique thing about Gauranshi, apart from her dedication to the game, is her inclination to learn.," says Rashmi Malaviya, her coach.
Gauranshi has in the last few years won several honours over the years, garnering her respect and recognition in society. Gaurnashi’s mother is delighted with her success. Her years of hard work are finally bearing the results.
“People now recognise her talent, congratulate her and shower their love. But it wasn't like this before,”
She became a champion badminton shuttler and made India proud when she won the gold medal at the Deaflympiad in Brazil in 2021.
But for Gauranshi, this is just a start. She has huge dreams for her future.
"I won at Deaflympics. But I will work harder and win a medal at the regular Olympics. Because I don't believe there is any difference between normal people and disabled people when it comes to playing and winning."
Her passion, dedication and love for badminton make her a champion shuttler.
