MARK DHARMAI: I had a lot of negativities in my mind. But I didn’t give up. I had
that courage, like, ‘Let’s do it. Don’t give up in life.’
MARK DHARMAI: My name is Mark Dharmai and I am an international Para-Badminton player.
I represented for state national and international level for India in the BWF Para-Badminton
World Championship 2013, 15 and 17.
COMM: 32-year-old, Mark, is breaking Paralympic records in India. But it hasn’t been an
easy journey to where he is today.
MARK DHARMAI: My background, my mom she is a housewife, my dad is a fisherman. I had
a lot of financial problems during my livelihood. My family was always supporting me in sports,
especially my mom. When I was age of 6 or 8 years, I used to play hockey and football
for the school and from there, that journey, I started doing sports.
MERWYN D’SOUZA: I knew him when he was a little youngster. He was very keen on sports
and he was very much involved with football and hockey. Badminton was the last thing that
was in his mind. But I guess as time went by, he decided to come and try a session here at KCA.
MARK DHARMAI: I didn’t have any coach or I didn’t have anyone at all. I just used
to watch in YouTube or just ask my friends some techniques. So we started playing badminton.
COMM: After taking up the sport, it wasn’t long before Mark’s talents started to shine through.
NAWAL SETH: What his achievements are? For the last two years, of course, he has been
exciting. He is a celebrated sportsman. Mark’s won about 17 odd medals on the national scene.
MARK DHARMAI: My first victory was very good. It was like a glorious bring a medal for the
country or my state. But unfortunately, there is no coverage on Para-Badminton.
COMM: Because of the lack of support in the Para community in India, Mark has decided
to help other people with dwarfism get into sports.
MARK DHARMAI: I will be the person who will be helping all the dwarf people because lot
of dwarfs, they don’t do anything in life. So that at least we have a unity, a community
when we all come together, share your thoughts, your feelings, your sorrow because I know
because we dwarfs never share feelings with anyone. Just with among ourselves.
MARK DHARMAI: When you play for your state, for your country, people will salute you.
So that’s the respect you should have for yourself. Here, everyone is not treated equally
and I hope that, like, people are aware of what dwarf people can do. It’s like what
you and me are doing. Basically, if you can do it, I mean, we can do it. But we will do it.
We will never give up. Even we can do it.
MARK DHARMAI: I am trying to achieve gold medal in the upcoming
tournament and then the 2020 Tokyo. So I am trying to achieve get into the qualification
mark and playing in the Tokyo, 2020. So that is my goal.
DAVID D’SOUZA: I would say he is the personification of hope.
MERWYN D’SOUZA: A true achiever.