EXCLUSIVE | From badminton debut at Tokyo Paralympics 2020 to winning first ever GOLD - Pramod Bhagat shares his journey

'Kehte hain agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaho…to poori kainath use tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai' - this dialogue by Shah Rukh Khan could be well associated with this Indian champion.

Making the whole nation proud of his achievements, para-athlete Pramod Bhagat stood up to everyone's expectation and won GOLD in the first-ever badminton event at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

Ever since bursting into the scene in 2006, Bhagat has won many golds, including the World Championships and Asian Para Games. It has surely been a long but fruitful journey, but nothing stopped Bhagat - even the defect in his leg. Bhagat was fascinated with badminton and it has been his first love since then and it was at the age of 15 that he started playing in tournaments. 

While he achieved many accolades in his badminton career, it was the Paralympics and the GOLD that Bhagat had his eyes set on. Talking to DNAindia.com, Bhagat spoke about his journey, his preparation and even about not being happy on winning the bronze in the mixed-doubles event.

The five-time World Championship gold-medallist and one-time Asian Games winner, in fact, was very ecstatic when he learnt that badminton would be part of the Paralympics.

"It was my dream to be part of Paralympics. Ever since I took up playing the sport, I have dreamt about being a part of the Paralympics. Being world No. 1, I knew I would qualify but the feeling was something new and when I heard the news, I had butterflies in my stomach.

"It was something which I have been working towards. We had been training for over 8 hours a day and working on my game. During the lockdown, I improved on my physical fitness and also worked on my strokes and tried to remove my flaws. The process has been the same since day 1 of me becoming a professional player and till date, nothing has changed".

Bhagat was, in fact, the favourite to win gold in the Men's singles SL3 (standing/lower limb impairment/minor) category. So when asked if he felt any pressure about it, he said, "Yes, there was pressure for gold from everywhere, but that only motivated me to train harder and make sure I not only make my dream come true but also the dream of the entire nation. Whenever I play there is always pressure for winning, I use that to my advantage to motivate myself".

Bhagat had his final clash against Daniel Bethell of Great Britain. While the Indian star won the first set with ease, the second set saw him being down by some points, but then make a strong comeback and win the game 21-14, 21-17 on September 4.

When asked how he made sure he won even the second game, Bhagat said, "Bethell is a great player and we have had good duals in the past. In the final also he played a very good game. In the first game I played really well, but in the second game, Bethell played some great strokes and used strategy to take the lead. 

"I was down but not out; my entire focus was to win one point at a time. The moment I realised I was on a roll I knew I would be able to close the game. It was tough on me mentally and I had to change my strategy also, the moment I won the last point, rest is history".

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While we all cherished the gold, the top-seeded Indian was also part of a mixed doubles event with Palak Kohli. The pair had reached the semi-final, but lost and then went on to play for the bronze medal match.

If they had won, Bhagat would join, Avani Lekhara and Singhraj Adhana, to become an athlete to win multiple medals in this edition. However, the duo suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Japan's Daisuke Fujihara and Akiko Sugino 21-23 19-21.

Talking about the same, Bhagat said, "With Palak, I have not played a lot and are still trying to understand each other's game. Palak is a great asset and is the future of the sport. 

"I am disappointed that we lost the bronze medal in the competition, we gave our everything but sadly we couldn't finish the game. I would have loved to end up with a bronze in the category".

Meanwhile, not just Bhagat, the end of the Tokyo Paralympics saw India win a total of 19 medals - five golds, eight silver and six bronze. India's previous best tally at one edition was four (2016 as well as 1984 but more gold medals in Rio). 

The Indian athletes have won nearly five times as many in Tokyo. Talking about India's success at the Games, Bhagat said, "It is great to see so many succeed in the tournament. I am very happy, all of us had put in a lot of effort and the results show for themselves. 

"I am sure that this win will set up a great platform for the younger generations. The government, SAI and TOPS have done a great job and am sure these results will also boost them and encourage them to promote the sport more".

Now with the 2024 edition to be in Paris, Bhagat says, "The target is set to repeat my gold medal feat in singles and ensure I win a medal in other categories also.

"It's a dream come true for me and right now my focus has already shifted to putting my best in the world championship and also Paris. Lastly, I would want to give a platform to youngsters who can take up the sport and make sure they get all the facilities which I couldn’t get during my younger days".

In conclusion, Bhagat thanked all of India who motivated him and helped him win this medal. "I would also thank the entire team and coach who motivated me always and helped me everywhere".