"It was a dream to see India written on my t-shirt" - Indian para-athlete Simran Vats

Indian para-athlete Simran Vats, who is a part of the Mission Made Possible series, has shed light on her struggles and journey of representing India.

The Mission Made Possible series aims to showcase the inspirational journey of Indian heroes by highlighting the hardships they have gone through and how they have overcome the hurdles.

Speaking about her journey, Simran, in a recent exclusive interview with Sportskeeda organized by Sony Sports, said:

"I have been interested in sports since childhood. Due to premature delivery, I had very weak eyesight. I used to be embarrassed and shy when people used to call me names and make fun of me. I used to be hesitant and gave up on things thinking I would not be able to do it."

Simran credited her husband-cum-coach Naik Gajendra Singh, who is also an officer in the Indian Army, for supporting her, saying:

"I never thought I would be pursuing athletics and sports as my career. I used to go to the ground just for fitness purposes. I saw my now husband there, he used to train and run there. I used to watch him train. He was the first person who saw the potential in me and persuaded me into taking up sports seriously."

She further added:

"It all started for me after marriage. My husband's family hails from a village. It was initially hard having to deal with taunts and discouraging words from the relatives and neighbors.

"I used to get disturbed and bothered by the situation, but when I have a supportive partner, I really didn't have to think twice about anything. I just focused on my work. It was a dream to represent India and to see India written on my t-shirt."

---

"I'm never insecure to share my learnings and techniques with others" - Simran Vats

A gold medal-winning athlete at the 2019 China Grand Prix and the 2022 World Para Athletic Grand Prix, Simran has set her sights on shattering the world record next.

She further added that she is always willing to help anyone who needs her assistance:

"My goal is to shatter the world record. Records are meant to be broken. I have set my eyes on the world record. I'm trying my best. I've never been jealous of anyone. Because I believe whatever is written will happen. I have always helped everyone who asked me for help. I'm never insecure to share my learnings and techniques with others. That's one quality that I like about me."

She became the first Indian woman to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, but an injury setback ruined all of her hopes.

Speaking about the same, Simran said:

"I have struggled with injuries a lot during my career. I met with an accident just before the final trials of the Paralympics. Even during the Paralympics, I sustained a hamstring injury, doctors advised my husband not to allow me to compete at the Games. The doctors also said if I compete, the injury might worsen and I might have to bear the brunt of it lifelong."

---

Mission Made Possible series: Streaming details

Watch Mission Made Possible at 6.00 pm IST daily, from September 5-14, 2022, on SONY TEN 2 & SONY TEN 2 HD channels. Live streaming will be available on SonyLIV.

---