Uttarakhand-based Indian para-badminton player Prema Biswas defeated all her problems, which included the daunting task of crowdfunding to participate in the Fox Indonesia Para-Badminton International tournament, and made the nation proud by clinching the bronze medal.
The event, which was held from September 5 to September 10, saw the participation of players from 15 nations.
Biswas, who is paraplegic, alleged she did not get any assistance from authorities when she approached them earlier.
The Teelu Rauteli Award recipient, who was selected by the Paralympic Committee of India to participate in the event, said she struggled to arrange funds for a sports kit, accommodation and return flight tickets from Indonesia.
However, Haldwani resident Hemant Gaunia assisted her in fulfilling her dream by initiating a social media campaign which helped raise Rs 1.2 lakh (USD 1,447) in 10 days.
"Prema embarked on her journey to Indonesia on September 2, with aspirations to secure a medal for her country at the championship," Hemant Gaunia told leading Indian newspaper The Times of India.
Prema Biswas, who once had to write a post on X appealing to people to help her buy a sports wheelchair, told TOI that she wants to represent India in the Olympics.
Speaking on her latest victory in Indonesia, she told the newspaper: "If the state government would have given me a job as per the sports policy, I would not have taken money from anyone."
"I didn't have necessary sports equipment, and even the court that I practised in was uneven," she said.
She thanked the people who helped her in achieving the 'landmark' moment in life.
The para shuttler said she currently lacked the resources needed to fulfil her Olympic dream and urged authorities to help her.
"My next goal is to play in the Olympics, but I lack the resources to achieve it presently," she said.
"If I get assistance from the authorities, I can prove that people with disabilities can also succeed in sports," she said.
