Hole in One

Ranveer’s involvement with golf began when he was nine years old. He had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder much earlier,when he was just two years old. A developmental disorder,it leads to stunted social and cognitive skills. In Ranveer’s case,it was a communication disorder. After the initial shock,his parents,Kartikay and Bakhtawar,armed themselves with reams of research on the disorder and how to help Ranveer cope with it. “We are a family of golfers. It’s a game that requires focus and patience,and is extremely challenging and technical. Since Ranveer has a social and communication disorder and knowing he might never have a circle of friends,we decided to channelise his energy into the game. We took it on as a challenge,” says Kartikay,an educationist and a keen golfer.

The Sainis enrolled him at the DLF Golf Course Academy in Gurgaon,but the going was far from easy. It took Ranveer a full year to bond with his coach,Anitya Chand,also the coach of the national junior golf team. During that period,both parents would accompany him to every training session and act as facilitators between the two. “Being autistic,Ranveer swings between being hypoactive and hyperactive. He usually has a short attention span,” says Bakhtawar. A round of golf can take up to four hours. Mere acclimatisation to the game was the first big hurdle. At times,Ranveer would be distracted by a duck waddling along and start chasing it. To get him to focus and concentrate on the game,his special educators,caddies,school and professional coach worked out a schedule that would allow him to explore his potential without putting pressure on him. Ranveer would go through eight therapies every week,such as occupational therapy,sensory and speech therapy,special education,music therapy and during summers,hydrotherapy,to calm him.

His progress was gradual,but certain. Bakhtawar talks about trying to walk the fine line between encouragement and admonition. “On every bad hit,if somebody said ‘oh!’,he would take it as censure,” she says. There were other hurdles too. During a game of golf,when Ranveer had one of his temperamental bouts,an English gentleman walked up to them and told them to teach him “some golf etiquette.” Then there were instances when people would make fun of him. “They would say things like ‘Yeh toh pagal hain (he’s mad!)’,” says an emotional Bakhtawar.

Amidst all of this,Ranveer shone. His game improved as his training became regimented and he started following his coach’s instructions. “Ranveer has been training with me for nearly four years. For the first six months,there was almost no communication between us. Sometimes,the sessions would last only 10 minutes. While he adapted to the game,I took time to understand his special needs and devise different training techniques for him. He is quite an extraordinary child who thinks of golf merely as a game. Instead of getting bogged down by technicalities,he focuses on simply hitting the ball towards the hole. That’s how he gradually became consistent with his swings and now he hits the ball really well,” says coach Chand.

On noticing the improvement in his game,the Sainis and Chand approached Special Olympics Asia Pacific six months ago to learn about the format of the competition and the skills children are tested for. Accordingly,they began training Ranveer. Over the next few months,they slowly accelerated the pace of training,increasing it three-fold. It kept Ranveer engaged and helped improve his communication skill to an extent. “If I got upset with him over something,he would text me,‘Mamma,don’t be katti (upset) with me.’ It was a big thing for him and me,particularly because he has difficulty in explaining his emotions,” says Bakhtawar,adding how they have always encouraged Ranveer to use gadgets and figure out alternate modes of communication.

A typical day in the tween’s life begins at 7.45 am with sensory integration exercises. Even though 30 per cent of his school day is spent in rejuvenating exercises that include arts and music,Ranveer attends regular academic classes at Scottish High,as part of the school’s inclusive programme. Apart from golf,Ranveer is a talented pianist with a gift for identifying the perfect pitch of several musical instruments. He also loves to cook. Rajiv Mishra,who has been Ranveer’s therapist since he was two years old,says,“We have been constantly monitoring his progress and have developed an individual educational plan for him that marks realistic immediate and future goals. For instance,in the next three months,he should be able to dribble a basketball without any guidance.”

The Sainis say when they enrolled Ranveer for the tournament,they had not hoped for a medal. But now that he’s surpassed their expectations,they hope to focus their energies on the next potential milestone: the Special Olympics. In the following months,Ranveer will be trained in the necessary skills. Chand intends to visit the Olympics venue a year in advance to assess the weather conditions,map out the area and other technical aspects that will help Ranveer practise and become better at his game. He will also be put on a high-protein diet.

Jeev Milkha Singh,one of India’s top golfers and uncle to Ranveer,says his achievement is testimony to his parents’ patience and determination. “This is a fantastic achievement especially for a game that requires tremendous focus and high energy. More than that,it is an achievement for his parents who worked against odds to give him the facilities necessary to excel at such a sport. It is a lesson for those who view autism as a roadblock,” he says.

With support pouring in from Special Olympics Bharat,the organisation that uses sports as a transformative catalyst for people with intellectual disabilities,and the Indian Golf Union,which intends to take up his case with the Union sports ministry,the Sainis are now looking ahead. “At the (Asia Pacific) tournament,the officials told us he was too good for Level 1 and 2 (basic levels that require supervision and guardian presence) and that he should compete at Level 5 henceforth. It is the toughest level that goes on for two days without guardian support,” says Kartikay.

While Ranveer does not realise the scale of his achievement,the mention of golf lights up his face. He gets up and gives a demo,swishing an imaginary iron in the air and smiling at his therapist. “The day he arrived from Macau,he was given a king’s welcome. His classmates decorated the class for him. He actually waved and smiled,” says Bakhtawar.