While complete vision loss seemed imminent for Kapil Parmar due to a worsening medical condition, the 24-year old judoka wasn't ready to let that stop his Paralympic dreams. Hailing from Sehore district in Madhya Pradesh, Parmar had dreamed of becoming a wrestler in his younger days. However, a life-altering accident in 2010 left him in a coma for months and with progressively deteriorating eyesight.
Undaunted, Parmar took up the sport of judo after recovering, finding in it an outlet for his competitive spirit. National recognition followed as he trained relentlessly under coaches to master techniques without full visual aid. A former wrestler, Parmar leveraged his fundamentals and worked on finishing moves through tactile feedback from trainers.
Last year saw him clinch silver at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games, marking his potential on the Paralympic stage. In Paris this week, the unseeded Indian proved doubters wrong by defeating Brazil's Elielton de Oliveira 10-0 in the bronze medal match. The tactical ‘tomoe nage' throw he displayed secured the country's first ever Paralympic medal in judo.
While Parmar and his family understand his condition may eventually lead to complete blindness, they are grateful he could achieve this milestone. The family celebrates each victory, knowing these treasured moments of pride will remain with them and motivate Parmar for the future, despite looming uncertainty. His grit and success emphasizes that inability is not inability – dreams can still be fulfilled even when the odds seem impossible. Parmar's Paralympics bronze proves the triumph of human spirit over physical adversity.
