Paralympic bronze medallist and Arjuna Award winner Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan still remembers those tearful days at school when relentless bullying left her devastated and depressed.

Now a successful shuttler, the 19-year-old believes the prestigious award has come as a just reward for those days of turmoil.

"When I was in 6th or 7th standard, there was not much growth in me. In schools, there was bullying. I used to be very sad. I used to cry for every small thing. So, yeah, it's kind of an answer to them that I can also do something and achieve big," Nithya told PTI.

Reflecting on her achievements, she added, "I have seen so many of my co-athletes who are winning awards and are achievers. So, getting one of the national awards is something very prestigious.

"It is a proud moment for me. All the medals and awards are like a gift for me — a recognition of my hard work, dedication to the game, practicing every day, following everything, and being disciplined." Born and raised in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, Nithya had lost her mother when she was just one year old. Her father and grandmother became her unwavering support system, with her brother standing by her side as a constant companion.

"I used to stay inside the house a lot, So just to get me out, my dad was continuously pushing me to play. Badminton has helped me. I feel really free now. Before taking up badminton, I actually wouldn’t speak much. Now, I’m able to speak to many people," said Nithya, who won three bronze medals at the 2022 Asian Para Games.

Her father, an avid sports enthusiast, and her brother, who played cricket at the district level, introduced Nithya to the world of sports. Cricket was initially her first love.

"My dad used to play cricket with a big team every Sunday, and I would go with him to watch. My brother was a district player, and I also accompanied him to his academy. Sometimes, we played cricket on the street. However, when I considered taking up cricket, there were no female athletes," said Nithya.

She watched badminton for the first time during the Rio Olympics, and everything changed. The racquet sport soon became her chosen sport, turning into an all-consuming passion.

"My brother took up badminton for fitness, and I joined him. Watching Sindhu in 2016 inspired me, and my friends and I started playing badminton in the streets. This sparked my interest in training, and I started practicing twice a week, gradually increasing to daily sessions.

"When COVID hit, I couldn't train, but once it was over, I resumed and discovered Para badminton. That’s when I moved to Lucknow (under Gaurav Khanna, Head Coach of Team India) for training," added Nithya, who has recently started training at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA) due to its proximity to her hometown.

A fan of Chinese legend Lin Dan, Nithya discovered the world of Para-Badminton in 2019 before the outbreak of COVID-19 and started competing in international events from 2021.

"Looking ahead to 2025, the Asian Championship will be one of the key Paralympic events this year. Next year, we have the World Championship. My target is to peak by 2028 Los Angeles Games, so there are no shorter goals now—only focusing on the World Championship each year leading up to 2028," said Nithya.

Recently, there was a controversy when two-time Paris bronze medallist shooter Manu Bhaker's name didn't figure in the initial list of nomination for the national award due to lapses in applying on time.

Asked about her opinion, Nithya said the government should recognise them without athletes having to apply.

"When I got a call from my team telling me I had to apply for a national award, I was surprised. I didn’t know that athletes had to apply themselves. I always thought the government would recognise and honour athletes directly.

"Government supports us a lot, and they must be aware of our achievements. They back us in tournaments and training, so I believe they should recognise athletes without us having to apply," she signed off.

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