Manasi Joshi: An Epitome of Willpower

Manasi Joshi is a para-badminton champion ranked 2nd in mixed doubles and 6th in singles. It’s very likely that you haven’t heard of her because most people don’t pay as much attention to para-sports as normal sports. But watching them makes your difficulties seem like a pebble in an ocean. She lost her left-leg in an accident and using prosthetic leg ever since.

Her Challenge

Manasi is a resident of Chembur, Mumbai, has been playing badminton since she was ten. Having won several competitions at school, college and district level, she went on to pursue a degree in engineering from KJ Somaiya College of Engineering. One day, on her way to work she met an accident, a truck rammed into her two wheeler crushing her left leg. After a few days the leg got infected and doctors had to amputate it.  Throughout this she never felt depressed because she chose to accept it. In her own words, “I can either choose to cry about it, or take it with a pinch of salt and push myself…I picked the latter”.

Her Journey

She never let her accident stop her from pursuing the sport she was passionate about. She began to learn how to walk all over again and started playing badminton. She says, “Badminton gives me a sense of freedom. For an athlete not having a completely functional leg is very difficult. However, badminton is my sport and I will do everything it takes to master it, with or without a leg,”

She won several national championships and won a silver in Para-badminton world championship held in England. She never gave up and never stopped. She’s done all this while working as a software engineer whilst many of us think doing our job is more than enough. She completed Scuba-diving training and also travelled almost all over India. When people ask her, ‘How do you do so much?’ She just asks one question — ‘What’s stopping you?’

Her Achievements

• Silver Medal in SL3- SU5 Mixed doubles at BWF Para-Badminton World Championship held at Stoke Mandeville, England.
• In March 2015, she represented India at the V Spanish Para-Badminton International Open 2015, held at Alcudia, Spain where she fought for the Bronze.
• In December 2014, she participated in 14th Senior Para Badminton Nationals in Mumbai and stood 2nd (silver medalist) in India.
• In August 2014, she represented Maharashtra for the selections of Para Asian Games 2014, Incheon, Korea.
• She is currently World No. 2 in Mixed Doubles category and 6 in SL3 singles category.