Gritty Paralympian Niranjan Mukundan goes from hospital bed to podium

News By Ajay Tomar December 1, 2022 Read the article

When Niranjan Mukundan was forced to miss the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014 due to a bone infection, he felt it was the end of his swimming career.

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Eight years later, Bengaluru-born Mukundan was at the Tokyo Paralympics to compete in the 50-metre butterfly.

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2022 was a “really good year”. He created history at the Para Swimming Cup by eclipsing the 12-year record in the 800m freestyle.

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The para-swimmer has 91 international medals to his credit and is hoping to soon enter the 100-medal club.

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“His determination and focus are formidable,” said John Christopher, who has been coaching Mukundan since his childhood.

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Born with a spinal deformity and clubfoot, he was paralysed below the waist at age five. He has undergone 19 surgeries so far.

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For Mukundan, the 2015 World Junior Swimming Championship was a proud moment. “I smashed many records and even today those records are intact.”

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He was honoured with the Karnataka Rajyotsava Prashasti in 2015 and the Eklavya Award in 2016.

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He now trains in Germany with the German para swimming national team, besides representing a professional club there.

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Since 2012, GoSports Foundation, a Karnataka-based non-profit, has been sponsoring the swimmer.

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He has qualified in four events for the 2023 Para-Swimming World Championship and five events at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.

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