Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 25: Students of Army Public School, Brichgunj, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, interacted with India’s first Paralympic gold medallist Murlikant Petkar on Thursday, gaining first-hand insights into his sporting journey and experience of overcoming adversity.
The interaction, facilitated by the Army component of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, followed a screening of Chandu Champion, the film based on Petkar’s life. Petkar, a former serviceman and recipient of the Padma Shri and Arjuna Award (Lifetime Achievement), spoke to the students following the screening.
Born in Sangli, Maharashtra, in 1944, Petkar developed an early interest in sports, particularly boxing. He joined the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) and continued to pursue the sport.
His sporting career changed after he was injured during the India-Pakistan War in 1965. Nine bullets struck him. Doctors removed eight, while one remained lodged in his spine, leaving him disabled below the waist and forcing him to leave boxing.
Petkar subsequently turned to other sports, including swimming. At the 1968 Paralympics, he competed in table tennis and cleared the first round. Four years later, at the Heidelberg Games in 1972, he won individual gold in swimming and set a world record of 37.33 seconds in the 50-metre freestyle.
He also competed in javelin throw, precision javelin throw and wheelchair slalom at the 1972 Games, reaching the finals in all three events.
Petkar received the Padma Shri in 2018 and the Arjuna Award (Lifetime Achievement) in 2024, with the latter presented to him in January 2025.
A senior official said the interaction was intended to convey Petkar’s message of perseverance to children and help them understand how to confront challenges. Students observed that Petkar remained energetic at 82 and heard his message to rise above adversity, pursue ambitions without limits and transform challenges into opportunities.
