Paralympic Games 2024: The Fight That Brought Anita And Narayana To Pune, Now Flies Them To Paris

Well, maybe with a bit of luck, it could be. But, before that, what does the fight require? A platform to showcase it.

Anita, an accident amputee from Rajasthan, did get that platform.

“We found her (Anita) at the Artificial Limb Centre. We spoke to her about a mixed doubles para combination, and also asked her if she wanted to enroll. The coaching staff as well as our commanding officer spoke to her parents. Her father, who was also in the Army, was posted to Pune so it would help her practise,” said her partner in the para rowing combination Narayana Konganapalle, in an exclusive interaction with Outlook.

Is it destiny? Probably a mixture of both; fight and luck. 

A strength training enthusiast, with a below-the-knee disability and a heart as big as her abilities rightly fit the specifications that India needed. 

But, before dreaming about Paris, they needed to qualify for it. The luck part was right-place, right-time in Pune but the fight had to still come. 

The Aligning Of The Stars

Anita, from not even knowing about the sport in 2022 to clinching a silver at the 2022 Asian Para Games in the PR3 Mixed Double Sculls showcased dedication, discipline and determination. 

However, she was not done. She was all that and much more.

“She did not know anything about the game, she was new, but put in a lot of effort and hard yards, we went to the Asian Games, we won silver,” Konganapalle said.

The rowing duo then qualified for the 2024 Summer Paralympics at the World Rowing Asian and Oceanian Olympic and Paralympic Qualification 2024.

The Flight To Paris That Was Earned In Pune

But, it was not all that simple for Narayana himself in the first place. A soldier from a humble Andhra Pradesh family, he had survived a landmine blast. He was put through the pain endurance in the hospital, and arrived at Pune's Artificial Limb Centre.

However, he only found his ultimate shining light when he met Col. Gaurav Datta. 

First introduced to javelin, he had issues with his running. But, he did not lose heart. He picked up his courage as well as para rowing. 

“While returning from an operation in Jammu, I was trapped in a landmine blast and had to endure a lot of damage and pain. I then came to Pune’s Artificial Limb Centre after spending quite a bit of time in the hospital, recovering.

“I met Gaurav saab, who taught me about para sport, and that’s how I was introduced to para athletics. In 2016-17, I started with javelin throw, and then I struggled with running and had to change the sport. In February 2018, I started rowing,” Konganapalle recalled.

However, he found it difficult to see light at the end of the tunnel when the Asian Games and Paralympics offered only a mixed doubles category. 

But destiny eventually did play its part when he found Anita, and the rest, as they call it, is history.

Two athletes, two stories, two different states, all interconnected in Pune. 

Dreams Beyond Measure

Para rowing is a tough sport, especially when one tries to row ahead in the stroke, channeling the core strength while also trying to move back. But here’s where Anita’s mental strength came to fore.

“I always loved strength training and the added inspirational words from Narayana sir and my coaches only helped me to get better and work on my skill,” Anita said.

While for Narayana, it was more about his name and photo at the Army Rowing Node. The ARN had a wall full of photos with names of athletes who went on to win medals at the international stage.

Narayana, as ambitious as ever, wanted his name on the wall. 

“At the Army Rowing Node, there is a board with photos and names of medallists. I wanted mine there, and used that as a motivation,” Narayana further said with a smile. 

In Korea, at the World Rowing Asian and Oceanian Olympic and Paralympic Qualification, while sealing a Paris Paralympics quota, the Indian duo finished 50 seconds ahead of their competition, winning with 7:50.80.

Talking about her ambitions in Paris, Anita is determined to keep excelling in the sport, and mainly better the speeds with respect to the clock. 

“I joined the sport not very long ago, and want to keep excelling. In Paris, I want to beat my record time,” Anita added. 

Maybe that’s what defines these two. The ability to dream beyond destiny. The ability to fight through anything that comes in the way.

The keenness to keep going even if it is hard, at times drifting away. Or maybe it is the desire to outwit your ability and still trying to go for it.

“If you have the heart to achieve a dream you can do anything,” Narayana concluded when asked about how he achieved all of that after the landmine blast.

Anita and Narayana will be representing India in the PR3 mixed doubles sculls in para rowing at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.