‘Playing golf gives me satisfaction, makes me happy’ – My Take by Ankush Saha, para golfer

Parasports

In My Take this week, we have Ankush Saha who won a silver medal for India in the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi talks about his journey to becoming a top para golfer.

I was diagnosed with an intellectual disability, at a young age, but thanks to my father who also happens to be my golf coach, I started playing the game when I was 13 years old. Playing the game has helped me in many ways. Till date, I hav e participated in many championships and brought laurels to my country which I am glad about. You can also find a mention of my name in the prestigious Limca Book of Records, Special Edition 2015.

I live in Bengaluru with my family that consists of my father, mother and brother who are my biggest supporters. They have stood with me through thick and thin to ensure that I follow my love for golf.

Till date, I have played seven international games which includes one in Los Angeles, five times in Macau and the recent one in Abu Dhabi. I was representing India in all these games and I must say that it is a great feeling. I am 24 years old now and I know that I have a long path ahead and many things to achieve for myself and my country. After completing my tenth standard from the Spastics Society of Karnataka, I decided to dedicate myself completely to sports. I love running too. It is a great way to stay physically fit.

I have some future plans towards which I want to start working towards soon. I would love to work with children who have intellectual disabilities to give them more exposure to sports. There are many young children who have a passion for sports but cannot pursue it because they come from economically backward families. I want to reach out to such children and help them follow their love for sports

Passionate sportsman

My father Bipra Das Saha has always been my strongest pillar of support. He trained me in the sport from a very young age. He also makes sure that I run regularly, and has been giving me training me in that as well.

It is high time that parents allow their children with disabilities to go out and explore the world. I believe it is the best that they can offer for their child. The more they go out and explore, the more they will learn to handle the world on their own. My parents who have made me realise that there is nothing that I cannot do. Having a disability does not mean it is the end of the tunnel.

When I play golf I feel very satisfied and happy. The first few months were difficult because there are a lot of criterions to look into. At times, I could not even judge certain aspects. It is definitely a complicated game and requires lot of attention and understanding. You must be careful and concentrate thoroughly on the game. All this comes with a lot of practice but is definitely possible. It took me a lot of time to understand the technical aspects of the game. I’am glad I followed my passion for golf.

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