Growing up in his village Buana Lakhu, in Haryana’s Panipat district, Navdeep Singh faced taunts from kids and adults, who called him “Bauna” (dwarf).
Born prematurely in 2000, he appeared to be growing up normally in the beginning. But, when he was two years old, his parents realised he had dwarfism. From then on life became a struggle for him.
“I would avoid leaving home for days,” he told tabla! during a recent visit to Singapore. “The taunts were pretty bad. It would have put down anybody growing up.
“But my dad Dalbir Singh, a national-level wrestler, backed me totally. He kept motivating me to do well in sports. He saw me as an extension of his own aspirations and pushed me into taking up wrestling. I soon realised it was a way to grow in stature.”
However, Navdeep gave up Haryana’s traditional sport by age 16, taking up sprinting instead.
“My height would not allow me to become a good sprinter,” he said. “There were also medical issues, as my heart is small-sized. So, I switched to shot put and then javelin, inspired by national icon Neeraj Chopra.
“Then, through sheer hard work and discipline, I set out to achieve what I wanted to be – make people back home remember me differently, not as someone who is short but as a champion para-athlete.”
On Sept 7, at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Navdeep, who stands at 1.32m, came up with the throw of his lifetime to claim a historic gold medal for India.
His personal best of 47.32 metres was the country’s first-ever top podium finish in the men’s javelin F41 category.
Navdeep had originally won the silver medal but, in a dramatic turn of events, he was upgraded after Iran’s Beit Sayah Sadegh was disqualified for “unsporting and improper conduct” – repeatedly displaying an objectionable flag.
“Initially, my dwarfism felt like a burden,” said Navdeep. “I wondered why I couldn’t enjoy life like others – go to school and have fun. But then I understood fate had dealt me a heavy blow and I have to overcome it. I ignored all the taunts and negative comments and focused on what I wanted to achieve. It was single-minded dedication that made me a champion with the support of my dad, coach, family and government.”
India had a record 29 medal winners at the Paris Paralympics. But it was Navdeep who melted all the hearts with his simple gesture during a meet-and-greet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He gifted Mr Modi a blue cap and asked for his autograph, and in response, the prime minister sat down on the floor to accept the gift.
The scene resonated with many, showing how respectful Mr Modi is towards athletes like Navdeep, who have achieved remarkable feats despite all odds.
The Paris win was indeed a defining moment for Navdeep, who silenced all his doubters. Having turned those taunts into his biggest triumph on sport’s grandest stage, he expressed his concerns over the indignities heaped upon people whose bodies don’t fit the usual moulds, and demanded “the same respect” for them.
The 23-year-old said: “My aim is to educate society that we also exist in this world and nobody should make fun of us. We also can make our country proud.”
Navdeep trained tirelessly in the run-up to the Paris Paralympics – honing his skills and refining his technique at the Sports Authority of India centres in Bengaluru and Gandhinagar. He had faced setbacks previously, finishing fourth at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago and Asian Para Games last year and third at the World Para Athletics Championship earlier this year.
“I suffered a lot,” he said. “I heard people say things like, ‘He can’t do this, he only performs well in India, but fails in competition’. But I just ignored all of it. I knew I had to unleash my best throw on September 7, and I did that and won.”
Navdeep credited Olympic Gold Quest, a not for profit company founded by sporting legends Geet Sethi and Prakash Padukone to support Indian athletes in winning Olympic gold medals, for funding and supporting his journey.
He had spent years away from home, often making do with basic meals.
“It was a struggle for six years (2017-2024). I stayed away from my home, eating whatever was available,” said Navdeep. “But, in the end, all the sacrifices paid off.”
Navdeep next aims to win gold medals at the upcoming Para World Championships and Para Asian Games, for which he has already started training under coach Sunil Tanwar from Haryana.
“I started with a throw of 11 metres and now have reached 47 – I never thought that would be possible,” said Navdeep.” The performance in Paris was better than what I expected. I will work harder from now on and will try to win more gold medals for India.”
