Thulasimathi Murugesan’s parents wanted to raise their hands over their heads to clap when she received the Arjuna award from the President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday. But father Murugesan and mother Viji forgot the brief and shed tears of joy.
Watching their daughter, a Paralympics silver medalist shuttler, donning the special maroon blazer when walking down the hallway of the Ganatantra Mandap was a moving experience for the proud parents. For being a taskmaster, Murugesan, a daily wage labourer-turned coach, is nicknamed the ‘Dangal father’ by Thulasimathi and her younger sister Kiruttigha. For the family of four that once lived in a straw hut that caught fire every summer, an invitation to the president’s official residence will remain a cherished memory.
On a day India’s sporting achievers were honoured – a record 17 para-athletes with the Arjuna award – there were happy scenes of selfies with the bronze statuettes, gleaming athletes in the ceremonial dress, parents with moist eyes and proud hearts. Like the Murugesans from Kanchipuram, entire families were celebrating.
“I cried when Thulasimathi received the Arjuna award from the president. I couldn’t hold back my tears,” Murugesan said, clutching onto the citation certificate. The flight to Delhi was the first time his wife Viji travelled by air.
Thulasimathi Murugesan with her sister Kiruttigha, father Murugesan and mother Viji. (Express Photo/Nihal Koshie)
“Since childhood I have seen many legendary athletes getting this award. This is a special moment. I thank my dad who is also my coach. My sister and I call him ‘Dangal father’. Whether we won or lost, he would wake up at 5 am and take us to the stadium,” Thulasimathi said.
She and her sister Kiruttigha first played badminton using racquets that came free with the nutritional drink Boost. They later switched to Complan. Their father saved his daily wage for the diet and education of his two daughters.
He got criticised by relatives because they felt he was foolish not to buy gold for their marriages. “Our father was determined that we should be able to choose our own path. Today there are people coming home to honour him,” Kiruttigha, a former national school games squash champion, said.
Paris Paralympics javelin gold medalist Navdeep Singh was overjoyed about fulfilling his late father Dalbir Singh’s dream. The athlete from Buana Lakhu village in Panipat, lost his father seven months ago. Dalbir had taken ill just days before Navdeep won bronze at the World Para Athletics Championships in May last year. He didn’t live long enough to see his son win gold in Paris four months later.
Navdeep’s older brother Mandeep and mother Mukesh Rani travelled to the capital for the special day.
“Our father took a loan of Rs 1 lakh using a Bima policy to buy Navdeep his first javelin,” Mandeep, Navdeep’s older brother, said. Mandeep, a boxer, dropped out because the underprivileged family didn’t have enough money to fund two athletes.
“Rashtrapati Bhavan aam admi ke liye ek sapna hai… (For the common man it is a dream to be at the Rashtrapati Bhavan). Phones were allowed but I have captured the moment in my mind and it will stay forever,” Mandeep said.
Preethi Pal, the double bronze winner at the Paralympics — 100 metres and 200 metres — was accompanied by her grandfather Rishi Pal. A PWD road work supervisor from Hashampur in Muzaffarnagar, Rishi’s only previous memory of Delhi is a visit to see the outer walls of the Red Fort.
Sprinter Preethi Pal along with her grandfather Rishi Pal.
(Express Photo/Nihal Koshie)
“Pothi ne poore parivaar aur desh na naam roshan kar diya. (My granddaughter has made the family and nation proud),” Rishi said. Because of the no-phone policy, he did not follow up on the promised phone call to colleagues and neighbours wanting to watch the awards ceremony on TV. “When I go back I will enthrall them with stories about our trip to Delhi,” he said.
Standing a few feet away from the grandfather and granddaughter is Vantika Agarwal, a chess Olympiad gold medal winner, along with her father Ashish and mother Sangeeta. Ashish had proposed to Sangeeta on the very day both of them cleared the CA exam. Sangeeta put a lucrative and rewarding career on the backburner to travel with Vantika to chess tournaments.
Vantika Agrawal with her parents. (Express Photo/Nihal Koshie)
“I quit to support her. For over a decade I have travelled to each and every tournament,” Sangeeta said. Sangeeta carries a ‘travelling kitchen’ to be able to cook for Vantika, a vegetarian with a craving for roti-sabzi. “I have started taking bhindee (ladies finger) because she loves it,” Sangeeta said.
Vantika wouldn’t have made it this far without the support of her travel-companion mother. “Today is an amazing day and when the government is recognizing me it is a proud moment, My mother sacrificed her career for me. Her moral support is incredible. When she is not there I feel lonely. After a win or a loss, I discuss the game with her… she understands my emotions,” Vantika said.
A coach and trainee too basked in glory. Paris Olympics bronze-winning rifle shooter Swapnil Kusale was bestowed with the Arjuna award and his coach Deepali Deshpande was conferred the Dronacharya award. “It is a special day for me because my coach was also recognised,” Swapnil said.
Boxer Saweety Boora and her husband, former kabaddi captain Deepak. (Express Photo/Nihal Koshie)
The athlete couple — former kabaddi captain Deepak Hooda and boxer Saweety Boora — now have two Arjuna awards at home.
Deepak who won in 2020 was at the president’s official residence the second time to see his wife Saweety be conferred with the award. They first met as chief guests at the Haryana marathon a decade ago and got married in 2022. Deepak was emotional. “I felt more pride when my wife Saweety won the award today than when I won earlier.”
(LEFT) Thulasimathi Murugesan with her sister Kiruttigha, father Murugesan and mother Viji. (RIGHT) Vantika Agrawal with her parents. (Express Photo/Nihal Koshie) 
Thulasimathi Murugesan with her sister Kiruttigha, father Murugesan and mother Viji. (Express Photo/Nihal Koshie)
Sprinter Preethi Pal along with her grandfather Rishi Pal.
Vantika Agrawal with her parents. (Express Photo/Nihal Koshie)
Boxer Saweety Boora and her husband, former kabaddi captain Deepak. (Express Photo/Nihal Koshie)
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