Navdeep Singh, who suffered from dwarfism, had to endure not only the usual rigours of training but also cruel teasing from spectators during his childhood in his village in Panipat district (Haryana).

After turning those taunts into his greatest triumph on sport’s biggest stage on Saturday (September 7, 2024), the 1.32-meter-tall para-athlete expressed concern about the humiliation faced by people whose bodies do not conform to conventional molds and called for “the same respect” for them.

The 23-year-old Indian javelin thrower won an unprecedented gold medal in the F41 category at the Paralympic Games in Paris.

“Humein bhi utna darja milna chahiye, maine bhi desh ka naam roshan kiya hai (We deserve the same respect, I too have brought glory to the country),” said Navdeep Singh, showing off his gold medal in a video shared by the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).

**EDS: SCREEN PHOTO VIA PTI VIDEOS** Paris: PCI President Devendra Jhajharia with gold medalist and Para javelin thrower Navdeep Singh at the Paris Paralympics. (PTI Photo) (PTI09_08_2024_000034B)

“My goal is to teach society that we also exist in this world and no one should make fun of us, which is often the case. We can also make our country proud.

“There were many hurdles in the beginning, but I persevered and strengthened myself, which led to good results. This is the greatest moment of my life, I am proud to finish with a gold medal,” he added.

As the athletics competitions at the Paris Games came to a close, Navdeep Singh’s golden throw in the final caused the hallowed Stade de France to echo with the Indian national anthem.

His personal best of 47.32 m initially earned him second place, but was upgraded to gold after the leader, Iran’s Sadegh Beit Sayah, was disqualified for repeatedly displaying an offensive flag.

It was a defining moment for Navdeep Singh, silencing all his doubters.

Navdeep Singh was born prematurely in 2000 and struggled with problems from the start.

It wasn’t until he was two years old that his parents realized their son was short in stature. This paved the way for a life full of struggles and successes.

His father, Dalbir Singh, a national-level wrestler, constantly motivated him and saw in his son the realization of his own ambitions.

Navdeep Singh began his sporting career at the age of ten with wrestling and sprinting before finding his true calling in javelin throwing, inspired by national icon Neeraj Chopra.

“The first thing I think of is my father (Dalbir Singh). I really miss my family now. At first, they felt like a burden. I wondered why I couldn’t enjoy life like others – go to school and have fun.

“But he (father) motivated me and kept me on track. I can’t attribute this journey to just one person. Champions are made by support, so my coach, my family, the government – everyone contributed to our success and raised our medal count beyond the expected 25 to 29.”

Early successes

Navdeep Singh made his international debut at the Asian Youth Para Games, winning his first gold medal and laying the foundation for a remarkable career.

He continued to train tirelessly at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres in Gandhinagar and Bangalore, honing his skills and refining his technique.

He secured another gold medal at the 2021 Fazza International Championship in Dubai.

Despite the high expectations, Navdeep Singh also had to endure setbacks. He finished fourth at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago and the Asian Para Games last year. He won bronze at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships and was criticized for it.

“I suffered a lot and wanted to achieve something for my country. My competition was on the last day, but I arrived on August 31, so I kept fighting.

“I heard things like, ‘He can’t do it, he only performs well in India but fails in competitions.’ I heard this from several quarters but I just had to ignore it all. I just needed guidance and the right path.

“I was carrying all my baggage from the past with me, the training, the hard work, the criticism. I knew I had to let it all out on September 7, and I did that and won,” said Navdeep Singh.

He also spent years away from home, training tirelessly with limited resources, often having to make do with simple meals and cooking together with his roommate and friend Sumit Antil, who broke his own record to win gold in the javelin throw in the F64 category.

“It was a struggle for six years (2017-2024). I stayed away from home and ate whatever was available. Sumit and I stayed together; we are good friends and roommates.

“Initially, we always ate out, but eventually we got stomach upsets and started cooking for ourselves,” recalls Navdeep Singh.

“I started with a throw of 11 metres and now I have thrown 47. I never thought that would happen. The performance was better than expected. From now on, I will work harder and try to win more gold medals for India,” he concluded.