‘Give-up’ an alien word for Indian shuttler duo after historic wheelchair badminton medal

India’s Alphia James and Pallavi Kaluvehalli etched a first when they clinched India’s first-ever wheelchair badminton medal at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya.

The duo won a bronze following a 3-21, 9-21 defeat to China’s Xu Tingting and Yang Fang in the semi-finals of the women’s doubles WH1-2 category on Wednesday.

Alphia. who is from Movattupuzha in Kerala, had fallen from the fourth floor of her school hostel when she was 17, an event that changed her life. After three years of medical treatment, Alphia decided to become a para badminton player.

Realising her potential, an UAE based Elite group of companies gave her a job in Dubai where they also sponsored her training.

“There’s no word called ‘give-up’ in my life,” Alphia told The Telegraph from Nagoya. “After my fall, I felt complete darkness around me. But I fought to overcome the setback. My aim was to win the gold in Japan, but we had to be content with a bronze. But now I will focus on winning gold in singles and doubles at the 2028 Summer Paralympics in Los Angeles,” Alphia said.

Pallavi, a native of Chitradurga, Karnataka, had her spine compressed after falling under her farmer father Manjunatha Reddy’s tractor when she was four. But her determination has taken her where she is now.

“I daily practise for three-hours in the morning and another three to four hours in the evening. I’m aspiring to get an Olympic gold”, Pallavi said.