Born blind, Rakshitha eyes Paralympics glory

Bengaluru: Born with a complete visual impairment and orphaned as a child, Rakshitha Raju is no stranger to life’s darkest challenges. Despite being dealt with a cruel hand by fate that would have left most people desolate, the 22-year-old has always looked at the brighter side of life.

Against all odds, this remarkable athlete from Baluru Gudnalli in Mudigere Taluk of Chikkamagaluru District has made it to the Paris Paralympics and is set to become the first Indian athlete to compete in the 1500m T-11 category of the quadrennial event.

Hardship breeds tenacity, and facing such limitations from a young age, Rakshitha has turned adversity into her strength.

Rakshitha was just two years old when she lost her mother and was aged 10 when her father passed away. She and her younger brother were brought up by her grandmother, who herself is affected by speech and hearing impairment, and aunt.

“I am very happy and excited to compete with top athletes. I have a wish to win a medal in such a mega event featuring top athletes, and I have a good chance now. I will try my absolute best to win the gold medal,” Rakshitha told DH.

Rakshitha’s passion for athletics was fuelled during her school days at the Ashakirana School for the Blind. She was inspired by the medal-winning exploits of Para-athlete Mohammad Shavad at Ashakirana, and was introduced to her current coach and guide runner Rahul Balakrishna during an Indian Blind Sports Association (IBSA) meet in 2017.

“Back in 2014, Shavad sir won bronze in the Asian Games. He used to take people from my school to IBSA meets in New Delhi and I was inspired by his story. Additionally, I always enjoyed train journeys, so that is why I chose sports,” Rakshitha said.

“Rahul sir saw me in an IBSA meet in 2017, he gave me some guidance and took me to Bengaluru to train in 2018. As a visually impaired athlete, I need the support of a guide runner every day, so he would train me and constantly motivate me to push myself to win a medal,” Rakshitha added.

Rakshitha won gold in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Para Games and managed to defend her title five years later at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games.

While she missed out on the Tokyo Paralympics, she won the gold medal in the 1500m and 800m events at the World Para Athletic Junior Championships in Switzerland and has also competed in the Para Athletics World Championships and won medals in World Para Athletics Grand Prix.

Balakrishna, a 1500m runner himself, spoke about Rakshitha’s strengths and highlighted the fact the she is constantly improving her timing.

“I will be on the track to guide her with fellow guide runners Tabres Khan and Govind Solinki. They help me find out mistakes, where she is slowing down, and suggest corrections accordingly,” Balakrishna said.

“Her confidence is impressive. Some people feel the pressure in big competitions and cannot handle the pressure, but Rakshitha is not like that. She is constantly improving her timing, and impressed in the Paris Paralympics trials and World Championships. I am expecting a medal. She has won a medal in every major competition, and will hope for the best in Paris,” the 33-year-old added.

As the City of Lights prepares to host the Paralympics, Rakshitha is poised to dazzle bright, proving that no obstacle is insurmountable when one is guided by unshakable ambition.