Sagar Badve, 26, a marathon swimmer from Aurangabad, Maharashtra has now completed his coaching course in swimming. Now, what’s the big deal in this?
Sagar, is deaf and partially blind. And after clearing this course, he is now the only specially challenged in India, who has managed to become NIS Trainer.
“Sagar was labeled as mentally retarded way before he had started attending school. He was then admitted to school for special kids where his teachers’ asked me teach him some basic things in daily course like bathing, wearing clothes, eating, as that is all he would be capable of doing,” said Kanchan Badve, Sagar’s mom while speaking to me.
All the claims regarding Sagar were proven wrong once he started swimming at the age of 5. Inter-school, then state, then long distance and slowly Special Olympics, he has done it all. He has participated in Special Olympics for three times now and has also been awarded and appreciated by former President DR. APJ Abdul Kalam.
His mom recollects how her relatives would curse her for having an abnormal child and how he was always sidelined everywhere until he proved himself. Even while taking the sports coaching course in swimming, which is offered by Sports Authority of India, in Patiyala, Sagar was the only specially challenged there. He was not privileged and no special facilities or concessions were given to him. Hence, he would record his lectures and later his mother would explain it to him.

– Submitted By : RJ Shivani

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