Meet India's first Paralympic medallist

By-Keyur Jain

Murlikant Petkar is India's first Paralympian to win a gold medal. In the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg, Germany, he won an individual gold medal.

Born on November 1, 1947, at Peth Islampur in the Sangli district of Maharashtra. He was a soldier of the craftsman rank in the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) and was a boxer initially

During the 1965 war, his army camp was hit by aerial fire from Pakistani troops, leaving him with multiple bullet wounds and being run over by an army vehicle. The unfortunate incident rendered him a paraplegic for life.

Following his injury, he was forced to give up his mastered passion of boxing and switch to swimming for rehabilitation purposes

Murlikant went on to compete in the 1968 Paralympics, reaching the finals in both the javelin throw and slalom racing. He also won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1970

Representational Image

He began concentrating on swimming after the 1968 Paralympics. Murlikant Petkar went into the 1972 Paralympic Games in a good mood and full of confidence after qualifying

Muralikant etched his name in history books at the 1972 Paralympics in Heidelberg, Germany, when he won gold in 50m freestyle swimming and set a World record in the event, clocking 37.33 seconds. Petkar also competed in javelin throw and precision javelin throw, reaching the finals in both events.

Petkar won medals for the country at various events. At the 3rd Commonwealth Paralympic Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, he won gold in 50m freestyle swimming, silver in javelin throw, and bronze in shot put. At the FESPIC Games in Hong Kong in 1982, he set yet another world record in 50-meter swimming.

Murlikant Petkar was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2018