From Getting Disabled In 1965 War Against Pakistan To Winning India¡¯s First Paralympic Gold, Murlikant Petkar Is A Hero

Courage. Perseverance. Determination. Winner. If you are to describe para athlete, Murlikant Petkar, it will take a few million adjectives and even that won't come close to defining his indomitable spirit.

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Murlikant Petkar is a real life hero, and he is a real good one at it. He was an able boxer during the time he served in the Indian Army with great distinction.

A war veteran who served his country selflessly and fought in the 1965 War against Pakistan, he has put his life on the life for the nation.

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During the War, Petkar sustained severe bullet wounds and suffered disability in his leg. It unfortunately ended his time in the Army, but he wasn't done in life. A man of great spirit, he started taking interest in different sports.

In the 1968 Paralympic Games, he participated in table tennis and cleared the first round. He made the exit in the next round, but his resolve was there for everyone to see. After the tournament, he started focusing on swimming.

He sweated it out, spending hours in the pool, to hone his skills. After qualifying for the 1972 Paralympic Games, Murlikant Petkar went in with a buoyed mood and with a lot of confidence.

Little did people know, he was there on a mission. The fighter in him was pushing him to scale great heights. That he did - scripting history in the finest fashion by winning a gold medal.

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It was one of the greatest moments in India's sporting history as he became the first Indian to win a gold at the Paralympic Games. It was an unprecedented feat that no Indian had achieved before, but Petkar's determination lifted him to the skies in glory.

He finished his career with four international medals in swimming, and gave a account of his immense will power.

Last year, he walked the ceremonial red carpet, his chest swollen with pride, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan's Durbar Hall to be conferred the Padma Shri by President Ram Nath Kovind. It was a fitting tribute to his selfless service to the nation.

What an inspiration. Murlikant Petkar is a spirit in himself.