Eighteen-year-old city paddler Aishwin Kaur bagged two medals at the 10th Asia Pacific Deaf Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, becoming the only player from Punjab to secure a podium finish at the continental championship.
Kaur clinched a silver medal in the team event and a bronze in the women’s doubles.
Born with a hearing disability, Aishwin’s journey has been one of resilience and determination. Her father, Bikramjit Singh, who works as a state head (Audit) in a financial institution, revealed that Aishwin was diagnosed with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a rare and incurable genetic disorder that affects the nervous system, at the age of six.
“Doctors said she wouldn’t survive long, but her willpower has made her a fierce fighter,” Singh said, beaming with pride.
After struggling to find quality training facilities alongside regular players, Kaur eventually joined an academy in Gurugram, where she trains for nearly eight hours a day. Remarkably, she is the only deaf player in the academy, which trains over 100 athletes without disabilities. Singh emphasised that Aishwin receives no special treatment in the academy, which has only fueled her determination to excel.
The teen’s accomplishments extend beyond the Asia Pacific Deaf Games. In July 2023, Kaur had bagged a silver medal in the team event and two bronze medals in the individual and doubles categories at the 4th World Deaf Table Tennis Championship in Taiwan. She also earned a silver medal in the general category at the Punjab State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament held in Amritsar this year.
{{/usCountry}}The teen’s accomplishments extend beyond the Asia Pacific Deaf Games. In July 2023, Kaur had bagged a silver medal in the team event and two bronze medals in the individual and doubles categories at the 4th World Deaf Table Tennis Championship in Taiwan. She also earned a silver medal in the general category at the Punjab State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament held in Amritsar this year.
{{/usCountry}}Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree from an open university, Kaur is one of three Indian girls selected for the Deaf Asia Pacific Games, where she stood out as the sole medalist.
“Aishwin, along with 54 other medal winners from various disciplines, will meet minister of youth affairs and sports Mansukh Mandaviya in New Delhi on Monday,” Singh informed.