Sharad Kumar is an Indian para-high jumper ranked No. 1 in the world. First place in the 2012 Malaysian Para Athletics Open. He is a bronze medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
Wiki/Biography
Sharad Kumar was born on Sunday, March 1, 1992 (age 21; as of 2021) in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India. His zodiac sign is Pisces. At the age of 2, Sharad was diagnosed with polio due to paralysis that left his left leg completely paralyzed. The cause was fake polio drugs used in the local polio eradication campaign, but his disability did not keep him away from his normal daily activities. He received his primary education from St. Paul’s School, Darjeeling and his secondary education from Modern School, Delhi. After completing his primary and secondary education, Sharad studied at Kirori Mal College in Delhi and received a bachelor’s degree in political science. Sharad studied at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi for his Masters in Political Science with a specialization in International Relations.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′11″
Eye color: black
Hair color: black
family
Sharad Kumar was born in a small Hindu family in Muzaffarpur, Bihar.
Parents and siblings
Sharad Kumar was born to Surendra Kumar and Kumkum Devi. His father is a businessman and his mother is a housewife.
Sharad Kumar’s father
Sharad Kumar’s mother
Sharad Kumar has an elder brother who is also an athlete.
Sharad Kumar’s brother
Profession
Sharad Kumar has loved sports since he was a child, and his passion did not let his disability become an obstacle to his sports career. He used to participate in various sports with his classmates in school, and never felt the difference between strong and weak abilities, until one day his class teacher did not allow him to participate in sports competitions. This incident made him realize that he needed to find a different path in sports, so he came to Delhi and enrolled in Delhi Modern School, a school famous for its sports training. Sharad began competing in high jump competitions there and won almost every high jump competition there.
Sharad Kumar’s souvenirs won in school competitions
Sharad Kumar made his international debut in 2010 at the Asian Para Games in Guangzhou, China. Next, he participated in the 2012 Summer Paralympics and impressed everyone with a high jump of 1.64m. Sharad Kumar first came into the limelight in 2012 when he became the world’s number one athlete after jumping 1.75m at the Malaysian Para Athletics Open. At the age of only 19, he became a para high jumper. In the same year, Kumar made his international debut at the 2010 Asian Para Games in Guangzhou, China. Next, Sharad was supposed to compete in the 2012 London Paralympics, but he tested positive for a banned substance at the 2012 Malaysia Para Athletics Open and was banned by NADA for two years. Sharad Kumar made a grand comeback by winning gold at the 2014 Para Asian Games. He jumped 1.80m, breaking the 12-year-old Asian Games record, and was also ranked the world’s number one disabled high jumper. However, he did not receive the appreciation and recognition the athletes deserved after setting the world record. Sharad said in an interview,
No one asked me or talked to me after I won the coveted gold medal. Obviously, I feel bad. I was also full of expectations after winning the medal. Paralympians want nothing. He just wanted recognition,” he said with a heavy heart. Medal winners get free passes on trains. They also get government jobs, but I didn’t get any recognition after I performed well.”
He further added,
I’m still paying for training and don’t have a sponsor. I travel on my own and am responsible for my expenses. I’m also looking for a coach. I just need some support from the government. I would be grateful if the government provides me with the facilities that an athlete deserves. I asked for what I deserved. “
Sharad Kumar participated in the Rio Paralympics in 2016, popularly known as the 2016 Summer Paralympics, and finished 6th in the rankings. His performance in the competition was not impressive, but his hard work paid off at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships, where he won a silver medal with a high jump of 1.84m.
Sharad Kumar wins silver medal at London 2012 Paralympic Games
In 2018, Sharad Kumar participated in the Paralympic Asian Games in Jakarta and won the gold medal with a long jump of 1.90m, setting a new competition record and an intercontinental record. Talking about his experience of winning the gold medal and becoming a record holder, Sharad said:
I honestly had goosebumps and it took me a few minutes to realize that I had won the gold medal. I was very excited on the podium, but I didn’t want to cry. It was such a great feeling to watch the tricolor being raised and hear the national anthem. I can still feel that moment. “
He further added,
I don’t know the record. After I performed and won the gold medal, my team members told me about the record. To me, this is like the cherry on the cake. “
In 2017, Sharad Kumar moved to Ukraine under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) offered by the Government of India. Sharad faced many significant challenges after moving there, both emotional and financial. Due to the language barrier, he was unable to make new friends, and the Sports Bureau only paid for his accommodation and coaching fees. To cope with personal expenses, Sharad started trading and investing in the stock market, for which he also took online courses to understand the world economic situation and find suitable investment opportunities. One of the career highlights of Sharad Kumar was the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, where he won the bronze medal in the final with a high jump of 1.83m.
Both Sharad Kumar and his father dedicated their victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both of them said Sharad’s victory was due to the Prime Minister, who motivated and encouraged Sharad to train hard and give his best in the competition. Sharad Kumar said in an interview,
We’ve been waiting for this moment. In the process of practicing and working hard, my son lost patience and became a little disappointed. However, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who inspired and encouraged him. Finally, he did it and made the country proud. This is thanks to the Prime Minister. “
After winning a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, Sharad revealed that just one day before the Paralympic final, he suffered a meniscus dislocation and considered withdrawing from the event. When he told his family about the situation, they suggested that he should read the Bhagavad Gita and focus on the game. Sharad explained the situation before the incident,
I feel great to win bronze because I injured my leg (in training on Monday) and I dislocated my meniscus last night. I cried all night and thought about quitting the event. “
He further added,
I was talking to my family back home (last night) and my dad asked me to read the Bhagavad Gita and focus on the things I can do rather than the things I can’t control. “
medal
gold
- 2014: Asian Para Games held in Incheon, South Korea
- 2018: Asian Para Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia
silver
- 2017: World Para Athletics Championships in London
bronze
- 2021: Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan
dispute
In 2012, Sharad Kumar was found to be positive for taking banned substances before the finals of the 2012 Malaysian Para Athletics Open. Subsequently, NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency) banned him from participating in any sporting events for two consecutive years. Sharad Kumar explained his situation in an interview,
I don’t want to recall that period of my life. This is a nightmare for me. It all happened by mistake. I don’t want to say anything more about this. I tested positive, but I didn’t mean to. I didn’t even realize it. It was indeed a difficult time and tortured me from the inside. I used to burst into tears. I locked myself in my room multiple times and burst into tears. Now I have forgotten it as a nightmare. I tried to convince NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency) but it was no use banging my head again and again when I tested positive. I was completely devastated. I used to feel ashamed that I was fighting a doping case. But I couldn’t explain it to the officials. “
Favorites
- Tennis player: Roger Federer
- Actor: Jennifer Aniston
- Movie: Hollywood – The Last Samurai (2003)
- Dialogue: “Bond! James Bond” and his own dialogue “Let’s get started, all
- Holiday destinations: Goa, London
Facts/Trivia
- Sharad Kumar said his elder brother was his biggest supporter in his career and supported him during Sharad’s most difficult time, when even the school authorities were unsure whether to send him Attend sporting events. Speaking about his brother, Sharad said:
My brother inspired me to become a high jumper. I broke all his records in school, which gave me the confidence to take the sport seriously.After St. Paul’s Cathedral [school] I started training myself to be part of the Delhi National Paralympic Team. “
- Sharad Kumar is a coach for young high jumpers with the Sports Authority of India.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education