Gaurav Khanna is an instructor with a difference – the badminton player, who excelled on a countrywide degree in the late Nineteen Eighties, passed off to look at a set of listening to impaired people attempting their serves and smashes on a nearby court. Moved by their efforts, he tried to train them to enhance their sport by some notches and commenced to accomplish that regularly.
As a consequence, a noble endeavor was released, which progressively advanced into a complete-fledged task, and Khanna, in the end, carried out what many believed was impossible. A passion grew right into a full-time career that saw listening to impaired beginners reap the blessings of the coaching program and remodel themselves into global champions on both the Asian and World levels.
The results had been so constant that Khanna asked to unfold his wings wider and shoulder the obligation of grooming India’s Para-Badminton gamers – and in the end, he became additionally at the helm. At the same time, a combined Asian group beat their European counterparts in a tournament in Korea. In an interview with The Bridge, the celebrated educator who devoted a lifetime to helping the physically and intellectually challenged gain their dreams on the badminton courts takes us through his unique and awe-inspiring adventure.
Gaurav Khanna has no hesitation in bestowing a lot of credit to his mom in any way.
He says it is extraordinarily non-secular and has helped teach values that have formed the form of the man or woman that he is nowadays. “My mom turned into a completely spiritual person. Hard of hearing people started frequenting my home often and that they used to play badminton inside the RDSO (Research Design and Standards Organization) courts in Alambagh close to Lucknow.” “A few of them used to try to wield a badminton racquet inside the court close by – others didn’t even hold the racquet nicely; however, it felt fine to help them be engaged in a sport of some type.”
After his commando education, Khanna became a successful badminton participant at the national level and found time to start coaching. “I became the top coach of listening to impaired badminton players in India for many years. We took part in the 2009 Summer Deaflympics in Chinese Taipei and the Asia-Pacific Badminton Championship for the deaf in 2010, held in Indonesia, wherein we received the bronze.” “This was followed by using the World Championships in Korea. There became a continental match between Asia and Europe, and I became precise because of the train for the Asian crew back then. We gained that match.” India won’t precisely be a wearing paradise. However, Gaurav has a philosophical way of reading the floor realities of a country faced with many challenges.
“We have children who are malnourished. We have a lot of poverty in this USA,” says Khanna as he goes on to laud the authorities’ efforts in promoting the kind of game that can not be classified as mainstream. “We don’t have anything a lot to whinge approximately. The authorities are doing their bit. I have even traveled around the sector and realized that India is brilliant. S. A . – we are fortunate to be a part of a top-notch u. S. A ..” He is one of the few coaches on this land who’s adept at using sign language and has manually manual his wards to the Deaflympics on more than one occasion.
“The 2013 Deaflympics was held in the Bulgarian capital,l Sofia, and because I was turning in effects, I then requested to take over as coach of the Para-Badminton group as well.” “Some gamers received scholarships and are now featured in government jobs. After 2014, the sport became a part of the Olympics, and on account of that then, it’s been an alternative worrying for me as a coach.” “The timetable is hectic; however, the gamers aren’t leaving any stone unturned when it comes to turning in outcomes.”
Khanna is the recipient of the most prestigious award instituted by the Government of Uttar Pradesh—the Yash Bharati Award, which was conferred upon him in 2016 for his contribution to selling badminton for bodily challenges. The accolades are well-deserved, as Khanna admits that he and the players often have to undergo quite a few fees themselves.
Yet, greater than funding and price range, the largest undertaking is to speak with his wards – something that requires a splendid deal of persistence and perseverance. “It is tough to bypass capabilities for the hearing impaired as you can’t talk to them; therefore, signal language is the most effective manner.” “I usually felt pity for them as they’re disturbing – they can do things which are not allowed to.”
