Judoka Sushila – The Stout Hearted

The drizzles grew into torrents.

The small house in that river town was flooded with the wishes and warmth of people, which the occupants treasured more than the Gold won by their darling daughter. For them, it was India’s victory and not hers alone!

The above lines are not a prologue!

In the coming September, for sure, we will relate the above to Judoka Sushila’s victory, in the upcoming Rio 2016 Paralympics!

“I have only a normal diet. My day starts in the Nehru Stadium and ends in my hostel room, with painstaking practice, to grab the Gold for our India in Paralympics 2016. You can see me competing under B1 category (63 kg)”, says Sushila from Aathur Taluk of Salem District.

Her great respect and profound love for her parents makes VC(Visually Challenged) Sushila travel from Nilachaaral hostel to her native Aathur, sometimes, but certainly during monsoons, for a family re-union. For her, monsoons bring not only rains but also her parents, who stay away and are woodcutters by profession!

“Becoming a Judoka was not a choice, but a happening. I was the least welcomed one to participate in any event during my school days because of my blindness. Surrounded by normal sighted students, I had the only alternative to participate in elocution or dance competitions, though my craving was for sports. And my most cherished desire to participate in sports came true while I was in Queen Mary’s College. And the sport was Judo!”

The visible trajectory that has led Sushila to win Gold in the Common Wealth Games 2016(South Africa), has proved that her mother is the invisible force behind it.

“Do what you like. Don’t pay heed to the discouraging words of others. You can do much better than anyone,even with disabilities. I always stand by you”.

Words that imbued her with solace and robust confidence!

For Valliammal, her daughter Sushila’s personality development from a timid person to a brazen one and her ability to face, sustain and handle challenges are much bigger than the Gold medals won by her. An astounding fact I came to know, when I asked her about the family’s reaction to her Common Wealth victory!

“We have no secrets between us and we mutually share, teach and encourage. Vijayashanthi is my good friend. I am in my second year of B.Ed and we both do B.Ed in SRM University. UmaShankar Sir, our coach means as much to me as to Vijayashanthi. And all my friends are good and they encourage me”. 

“A combined article on the duo would have been a better choice”. My thought, as it read, when Sushila spoke about VijayaShanthi(another Judoka and CommonWealth Gold Medalist) and their friendship, in reply to my question on their association.

Sushila is ready to compromise on ‘Tomato Rice’, her favorite food, but not on Ouchi-gari(foot throwing) her favorite technique she adopts to win over her opponents.

Fear has no place in her dictionary.

“I want to continuously achieve and be an example to others who are like me. People should understand that even persons like us are brave and capable of achieving, instead of being looked down upon.

Further, in many families it is a sad fact that girls are not encouraged and supported to pursue and fulfill their ambition. And I request, the women of our nation, in particular to have enough self-confidence to see them through, despite hurdles on the way. Self confidence will automatically channelize the mind and lead one to the possibilities of winning”.

How beautifully she has conveyed, “Life is all about self-learning”!

“I’m surrounded by good hearted people like our warden RadhaKrishnan Sir and Lit the light group. I entirely owe my Common Wealth journey to them. And can you please highlight that support from the Government at the right time, is most needed for aspirants like us?”

With an assurance to pass on her gratitude to and request, if any, for further support from ‘Lit the Light’, our conversation ended.

And before I close - “Sushila’s father Mani, a woodcutter, should have met the Angel from ‘The Axe and the Wood Cutter’ in the Panchatantra story. And to his surprise, the Angel should have offered Sushila – the stout hearted - as a boon!!”

I think so. Do you?

Article by Anuradha