Sumit Antil’s village in Sonepat erupts with joy

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Sonepat, August 30

Celebrations started at Khewra village of Sonepat district on Monday evening soon after athlete Sumit Antil bagged the gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics.

Rs 6 cr award for Sumit, Rs 4 cr for Yogesh

CM Manohar Lal Khattar has announced Rs 6 crore award for Sumit Antil for winning a gold medal and setting a world record in javelin throw, and Rs 4 crore for Yogesh Kathuniya for winning a silver medal in discus throw (F-56) at Tokyo Paralympics. The state government will also give government jobs to them. TNS

Antil created a new world record by throwing the javelin 68.85m in the F64 category. His family members here have started distributing sweets to the villagers.

Even after losing a leg in a road accident that happened six years ago, 23-year-old javelin thrower Sumit never gave up and faced every situation with courage.

Born on June 7, 1998, Sumit is the only son of the family and the younger one among the siblings. He lost his father Ram Kumar Antil at the age of just seven years.

It is a proud moment not only for the family but for the entire country, said Nirmala Devi, Sumit’s mother.

Kiran, his elder sister, said that this is the happiest moment for her and she can’t explain her joy in words. “He came to my home on Rakshabandhan before leaving for Tokyo and asked about the gift. I demanded a gold medal from him and he has given it. It is the best gift for me this Rakshabandhan,” she said.

Sumit’s father was in the Indian Air Force and died of some ailment, said Nirmala Devi. After that, she has taken care of all four children.

Nirmala Devi said that Sumit was in Class XII when he lost his left leg in an accident that occurred on January 5, 2015. He was on his way home after taking tuition. A cement-loaded tractor-trolley had hit him.

Nirmala took him to Pune in 2016 where he got a prosthetic leg. With motivation from friends, he reached the SAI centre where Asian silver medallist coach Virender Dhankar started coaching him.

He took Sumit to Delhi and he learnt the techniques of javelin throw from Dronacharya awardee coach Naval Singh.

Today, villagers gathered at Sumit’s home and started dancing to drum beats and bursting crackers soon after Sumit won the gold medal.

Dalbir Singh, a villager, said that it is a proud moment for every villager as Sumit is the first player of the village who has brought a gold medal in Paralympic Games. All the villagers are very happy and they would accord a grand welcome to Sumit on his arrival.