Physically challenged wins laurels in table tennis meet

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 25

Shimla boy Piyush Sharma became the first player from the state to play table tennis on a wheel chair and win a bronze medal in the Para National Table Tennis Championship held in Indore recently.

Aiming higher

• Earlier, Shimla boy Piyush Sharma had represented India in the Dutch International Para Table Tennis Championship held in the Netherlands.
• Now, his aim is to represent India and bring medal for the country in the Paris International Paralympics to be held in France in 2024.

Earlier he had represented India in the Dutch International Para Table Tennis Championship held in the Netherlands. Now, his aim is to represent India and bring medal for the country in the Paris International Paralympics to be held in France in 2024.

Expert member of HP State Advisory Board on Disability and Chairman of Umang Foundation Ajai Srivastava said after completing his XII from St Edwards School Shimla and B Tech from NIT, Piyush worked as a software engineer with a Dutch company at Bangalore for four years.

At present, he is pursuing a post graduate program after getting prestigious Tech-Leaders fellowship at Gurugram.

Besides sportsperson, he is also a motivational speaker and disability rights activist. An expert in artificial intelligence, Piyus is working on some projects which would make the life of disabled people easier.

Piyush is severely disabled due to spine problem since childhood and his father Anil Sharma and mother Santosh Sharma faced a lot of trouble in carrying him to school on their back. Financial crunch added to their woes.

Piyush had been representing Himachal in Para National Table Tennis Championship for the last three years.

The state government should come forward to support the disabled players in their coaching and extend sponsorship for participation in national and international events, he demanded.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and Governor Bandaru Dattatreya have congratulated the Piyush for his success.

They said that this youth from the hills is a source of inspiration for younger generation.