How Rakesh Kumar shrugged heartbreak to bag Paralympic Bronze

A cavalcade, garlands, hugs, a victory dance and felicitations.

That was how Katra welcomed its homegrown hero, Rakesh Kumar, earlier this week.

The man himself is no longer the wheelchair bound dejected mobile charging shop-owner he once was.

With the Paralympic Bronze medal gleaming around his neck, he is now a man brimming with hope and ambition.

But a little over a decade ago, things were looking rather gloomy.

Transformed by sports

It was in 2010 that Rakesh suffered an accident that would turn his world upside down.

But sport, and archery in particular, handed him a lifeline. And after success at the Asian Para Games and the World Archery Para Championships in 2023, Rakesh has now scaled a new summit.

What then is the secret to his success, we ask him in an exclusive telephonic conversation.

The response comes in a jiffy.

“Sports bring punctuality to your life and your habits change,” he says.

Citing his own life as an example, Rakesh feels that sport improves and transforms a person’s life.

“Since I started archery, I eat on time, wake up on time, and sleep on time.”

Intrigued, this writer pressed on a bit more to elicit the secret ingredients of his success.

A strict regime

“I sleep before 10pm and wake up at 5am. Only if I’m resting do I sleep a bit extra,” says Rakesh.

Once up, he begins with a round of meditation, followed by a practice of yoga. Thereafter, he is off to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board training facility where archery training commences by 8am.

“That has been the secret of my success,” he says, attributing to the regimented approach as critical to his outcomes.

And he returns only in the evening.

“I interact and work with the trainees there and I don’t feel like returning in between,” he says, displaying his passion for the sport.

A commute for sports training, taken for granted by most was perhaps the most arduous in the beginning for Rakesh.

“In the beginning, an auto would charge me 300 rupees per day to pick me up and drop me back home. It was tough to make that payment back then,” he recalls.

But thanks to District Deputy Collector Sanjeev Verma, who took note of his talent and handed Rakesh a scooter, the expenses came down to 600 rupees per week.

This and a subsequent sponsorship now ensure that Rakesh tends to his family needs and is in a position to buy training equipment whilst focusing full-time on honing his craft.

The 39-year-old has come a long way since those days of strife. But in Paris, it wasn’t all smooth sailing and as a medal eluded him in the individual event.

Steely resolve

“It wasn't my day and I had to face defeat but it’s okay. I could have made some mistakes as well,” said Rakesh, of that near-miss in the individual campaign.

He had another shot at the podium though, this time, in the mixed-team event with Sheetal Devi featuring alongside him.

Advised by his coach to simply ‘do your best’, Rakesh was at it again.

But there were more roadblocks ahead as the duo was pipped by Iran in the semi-final, who, according to Rakesh had a better day.

“In the shoot off, Sheetal and my arrows hit the 10-ring but Iran did better and their day was better.”

How then, did he deal with the proverbial heartbreak?

Like most of his responses, Rakesh is quick here as well.

“After losing the semi-final, there's not much time to think. I had to make my mind stronger so that the bronze comes.

We've lost once and (we) don't want to lose again. I want this medal around my neck,” he recalls telling himself.

With steely resolve, Rakesh shot a 10 in the final end to nudge out Italy and bag that coveted bronze.

Cool as a cucumber

As the broadcasters zoomed in on Rakesh, the man himself was picture of calm.

“I don’t like to express joy or express sadness; I try to be normal. We made history, I did what we were capable of and the whole world saw what we had done. So, I did not express much but deep down I was happy.”

The accomplishment was no easy feat by any stretch of the imagination, and one would not find Rakesh at fault for taking a break to let the happenings of the month sink in.

Surely, he would like to take a break now, wondered this writer.

“I will do as my coach orders. I've been following the principles laid down by my coach. If they grant me leave, I’ll take them, else, I’ll continue training.”

And what about fatigue?

“Just sitting and doing nothing is fatigue. Training is ideal. I have been practicing full day for the past 7 years. it’s a habit for me to train the whole day,” he says in response.

And so, the rigour continues for Rakesh.

For years he toiled in anonymity but now, with a change in circumstance, he trains with his head held high.

“I’ll work hard for the LA Olympics. I will train to change the colour of the medal,” he concludes with aspiration oozing from his voice.