by Abhishek Thaware is India’s ‘first teeth archer.
Hailing from Nagpur, his story is one of overcoming disability at a very young age. When he was one year old, his right arm stopped functioning owing to a Doctor’s negligence. As he grew up, he started participating in running, but a knee injury left him incapable of that. In spite of all these difficulties he didn’t lose his hopes for being an athlete. He may have stopped running on track, but in life, he’s racing at a fast pace.
Mr. Rajendra Khandal who ran a sporting club, trained him for cross country running and Abhishek, became a para athlete. Unfortunately, nine years later he was struck with a knee injury and it kept him from running but he still ran the relay at the state level and won a bronze medal. But after this, his knee injury became severe and it did not allow him to run again. But, Destiny had a different plan for him.
India’s ‘first teeth archer: Abhishek was always interested in sports and started taking part in athletics at state and national levels when he was in 8th standard. He also won several medals in long distance running. His favourite events were 1500 m and 5000 m. And he was doing all this in the normal category.
Fortunately, when he was in 10th standard, he met Mr. Rajendra Khandal, who ran a sporting club called Adarsh Vidyamandir. Khandal showed him how to do cross country running. Abhishek also came in contact with MSPA (Maharashtra State Paralympic Association, Nagpur).
For nine years, Abhishek was a para athlete. He did not even remember that he needed his right arm. His legs were enough to make him feel complete. But destiny had a different plan.
On July 2015, Abhishek Sunil Thaware
Excelled in para archery World Championship trials conducted by the Archery Association of India (AII.) He then won a silver medal at the All India Archery meet for the disabled in Baroda in August 2015. On January 2016 his scored 637 out of 720 points in Nagpur varsity’s inter college meet. He also secured 69th position among 200 participants at the inter university meet in Patiala.
In an interview he added firmly stating, “There are no polio issues in our country. I am so thankful for that. We never count how much the nation does for us. I want to repay at least a bit. I want to represent my country at the international level and Ii will do anything for that.”
