 "'It was God’s plan': History-making Indian para-badminton player Palak Kohli on the moment that changed her life forever")
‘Mann mein yeh tha ki inko hum karkein dikhayenge’ (I had this thought that I have to show them that they were wrong about me).
In life, sometimes, a driving passion can help an individual overcome the toughest of obstacles. A living example of that is 23-year-old Indian para-badminton star Palak Kohli.
Palak, who made headlines everywhere when she qualified for the Tokyo Paralympics at the age of just 18, is someone who, in her own words, is very clear about her goals and targets in life. A large part of that confidence comes from the unwavering support she has had from her family. And a part of that also stems from what she has managed to achieve in the world of international para-badminton.
After making waves in the domestic circuit, Palak’s rise in the international para-badminton circuit has been meteoric. She almost clinched a bronze medal with veteran Indian para-badminton star, Pramod Bhagat in the Mixed Doubles event at the Tokyo Paralympics and was on the podium at the 2024 World Championships with a bronze medal around her neck. Palak has also won three medals, including a silver and two bronze medals, at the Asian Youth Para-Games. She was also the National champion in multiple categories in 2019, shortly after she began pursuing badminton seriously.
The always smiling Palak, who refuses to let life dictate terms for her, says para-athletes have ‘super abilities’ and is looking forward to the 2026 season and, of course, the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028. Despite multiple injuries and major surgeries, including a recent one to repair three different knee ligaments and an ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) reconstruction, what Palak chooses to focus on are all the things that have worked out for her in her already extraordinary life.
Palak says she is blessed. Badminton fans in India and across the world will feel the same, having got the chance to see her in action on the court.
She is just 23 – imagine what this incredible young woman can end up achieving.
In an exclusive free-wheeling interview, Palak Kohli opens up about her life journey so far, how badminton found her, the multiple obstacles she has had to overcome, including not having any support from school teachers – something that spurred her on to excel in badminton, her Paralympic and World Championship experiences, the role that national para-badminton coach, Gaurav Khanna, who is also a Dronacharya and Padmashri awardee and who founded India’s first para-badminton academy – a place Palak began to call home from a very young age has played, and much more.
Let’s go back to the very beginning. I read somewhere that you used to spend most of your time in school on the playground and your teachers would ask you to focus on your academics. How did the badminton journey begin for you and what was it that drew you to badminton?
Palak Kohli: I was born with an underdeveloped (left) hand. In the family, I am the youngest member and no one ever made me feel like I have a disability or that there is something incomplete. Whenever I wanted to try new things, I was given the freedom and I could see hope in my family’s eyes – that they believed that I could do it. I began to understand things (better) when I started going to school and to the playground, where I had to handle things myself. As a child, you never know why people are looking at you in a certain way, why they are reacting in a certain way. But we start taking things to heart when we are in the adolescent stage. When I stepped out of the ‘nutshell’ of my family and went to school etc, I came across various reactions from people. Some would say ‘bhagwaan aisa kisike saath na karein’ (May God not grant this fate to anybody). Some were very curious to know how this happened. I used to get very conscious, not sure how I should reply. I was always fond of sports. I explored multiple different sports – whether at school or in our society parks, but I ran into many different kinds of people. Some would ask me to step aside and let others play, some asked me to be a referee, and some felt that if I played, I would hurt myself.
This is why I didn’t look at sports as a potential career option at that time and because of everything people were saying, I was a bit scared. One day we were out for an outing and we met this gentleman who told my parents that I could do wonders in badminton and asked my mother to contact him. I honestly couldn’t believe what was happening at that time and rather had a sarcastic smile on my face and just moved away. After about 7-8 months, we had a new sport that was introduced in my school – handball. We were all very excited because this was the first time our school was having multiple games and we were supposed to have inter-house matches and inter-school competitions. We were all waiting in queue, listening to what the rules of the sport were, when one of my teachers called me aside and told me – ‘Palak it’s better for you to concentrate on your studies, there are some quotas for people with disabilities and since you are a girl, it’s better to secure your future and have a good job. She also told me things like – ‘shaadi kaun Karega?’ (who will marry you?) and that I should not get into sports, which could make things worse for me. I felt very sad and very depressed at that moment, because I wasn’t even going to try that sport. But just looking at my physical appearance, she told me all those things. So, I was feeling quite sad and emotional. Afterwards, I thought about the gentleman who had told my mother that I could do wonders in badminton and thought – ‘let me try badminton and gain some knowledge about para-badminton’. When I went back home, I told my parents that I want to try badminton.
My mother had lost the contact number of the person we had met and my parents, at that time, thought that this was a momentary phase and I would lose interest very soon. But I insisted, so my father tried to search and we found out that the person we had met was Gaurav Khanna sir (Indian para-badminton team Head coach). It was a coincidence. I am from Jalandhar and sir is from Lucknow and I happened to meet him outside a mall when he had come for a Northern Railways tournament in Jalandhar. When my father talked to him, he realised that there is a proper structure and that Pramod Bhaiyya (Pramod Bhagat), Manoj Bhaiyya (Manoj Sarkar) – all elite athletes (follow) and they train in Lucknow. So, my father made a plan to bring me to Lucknow and that’s how I started my journey - from holding a (badminton) racquet (for the first time) to where I am today. It was destiny. It was God’s plan.
How old were you when you realised you were really good at badminton and that you want to pursue this as a career, or as a long-term pursuit?
Palak Kohli: By 16, I had started playing badminton. I didn’t decide immediately, because when we were on our way to Lucknow, I still had doubts, because I had had past experiences which were very bad, which made me emotional and led to mental breakdowns. So, stepping into this (badminton), I didn’t know if there would be more heartbreak. As a child, I was just determined to prove to my teachers (that I can excel in something like sports) and to go back to my school and show them that I can play sport. ‘Mann mein yeh tha ki inko hum karkein dikhayenge’ (I had this thought that I have to show my teachers that they were wrong about me). So, I had this ‘zidd’ (stubbornness) which made my mind work in a direction where I felt that I should try this sport (badminton).
When I reached the Lucknow academy, I saw athletes playing on wheelchairs, some who had polio, others who had the same disability as mine. There were so many athletes there with ‘super-abilities’. And they were enjoying themselves thoroughly. That gave me goosebumps and I thought – ‘if they can do this, why can’t I?’ That was the moment I decided to look for my ability in sport.
You have had to sacrifice a lot in order to focus on badminton. You had to move away from your home and family at a very young age, push your Board Examinations etc. How difficult has it been, as a youngster, especially in those school years, to juggle badminton and everything else?
Palak Kohli: I started playing after my 10th standard Boards. I had been in an ICSE school, which was very strict in terms of focus on academics, attendance etc. There wasn’t much scope for sports. But when I came to Lucknow and I decided to take up this sport professionally, my father changed my school to one that was affiliated to the CBSE Board, where badminton was played and also where they were liberal about me not attending school sometimes and also helping me with my examinations etc. Then, when I began preparing for the Tokyo Paralympics (Para-Badminton featured for the first time in the Games at this edition), the Board examination dates and the qualification tournament dates were clashing, which is why I had to choose and I went for a qualification tournament and had to skip my Board examinations. That was a tough decision that I had to make, but it was worth it. At the time I was in Peru, playing the finals (of the qualification tournament), my classmates were taking the Board examinations. At the end of the day, it was a very good tournament for me. We played very well and won a silver (Palak and her doubles partner Parul Parmar won the silver medal in the women’s doubles SL3-SU5 event). I became the youngest Indian player ever to qualify for the Paralympics (qualified for the Games at the age of 18 and played in all three events – singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles – which made her the first Asian female para-badminton athlete to compete in all three categories at the Games). I took admission (in school) in Lucknow itself because it’s difficult to contact teachers on calls and get the study material and then again go back for examinations. So, I finished my schooling in Lucknow.
You mentioned the Tokyo Paralympics, so let’s talk about that a little bit more in detail. You were the only para-badminton athlete from the country to qualify for both singles and women’s doubles for the Tokyo Paralympics. What was the experience of playing on the biggest sporting stage like?
Palak Kohli: Every athlete who takes up a sport and wants to do something for the country they always dream of qualifying for the Olympics or the Paralympics and winning a medal. The Tokyo Paralympics was the first time that Para-Badminton was included in the programme. It was huge for para-sports overall. For me to become the youngest Indian to qualify for the Games and then to go there and see so many athletes giving their best, it was one of the best experiences of my life. I learnt a lot. I played the opening match of the Games, as well as the last match. We finished fourth in the mixed doubles (Palak and Pramod Bhagat lost the bronze medal match) – we lost that bronze medal match by a very, very close margin (21-23, 19-21 in the SL3-SU5 class final to Japanese opponents). The experience that I gained there and then looking forward to the next target – life never stops, no matter how many challenges or hurdles there are.
I was also suffering from an injury in my calf, which was a bone marrow edema (buildup of excess fluid in the bone marrow), so we were not really in a position to push harder. With the limited load that I could put on the body, I managed to somehow play the event. But the overall experience (of competing at the Tokyo Paralympics) was just too good. I learnt a lot from all the seniors. It was superb.
You were the youngest para-badminton player to qualify for the Paralympics, at 18. When you look back and think about that statistic, now that you are in your twenties, how does that make you feel?
Palak Kohli: It makes me feel confident. I am very clear in my mind regarding my targets and goals. So, I know what I have to do for that. Coming from a family where I am the youngest, I was also the most pampered. But I chose to leave that luxurious environment where I was getting everything on a plate to (go and) stay in Lucknow, a city far away and manage everything by myself. That was a very bold and very good decision that I took.
So, when I look back, I feel proud of myself that I gave myself those opportunities to learn and experience, to interact with multiple people around and to set up a home over here (in Lucknow). I know more about Lucknow now than I do about my home city. I think stepping out of home is very important and that was my first step on this journey.
Let’s talk about the big achievement – the singles bronze in the 2024 World Championships in Pattaya. Going into this tournament, did you get the feeling that you were in good form? What was that entire experience like, of playing at the World Championships and becoming a medallist?
Palak Kohli: Everything was going well. From beginning to play para-badminton to qualifying for my first Nationals in 2019, where I became the National champion in the juniors, senior singles, women’s doubles and the runner-up in the Mixed Doubles. After that Gaurav sir (Gaurav Khanna) began preparing me for international tournaments, which were the qualification tournaments for the Tokyo Paralympics. So, we had the best athletes from across the world, with the highest rankings competing, because only the top 5 would make it to the Tokyo Paralympics. I had no world ranking at that time. We started with the tournaments, made step-by-step targets – which tournaments to play, which to skip. By the end of the cycle, I became world number 5 and since I was in the top 5, I qualified for the Tokyo Paralympics. After the Paralympics, we had the Asian Para-Youth Games in 2021, where I won one gold and two bronze medals. After that, things were going very well.
I was growing, becoming more mature in the overall quality of my strokes, the level of my play etc. But in 2022, I was diagnosed with a bone tumour. So, that was a setback that I faced in my sporting career and journey. I had to undergo an emergency surgery for the same and because of that, I had to take a break from international tournaments for a year and a half. My world ranking fell. I made a comeback in 2023 with a tournament in Brazil, where I defeated the world number 3 in the first event and I was back on the podium with two bronze medals. That was the cycle for the Paris Paralympics and I began playing the (qualifying tournaments) while keeping a check on how the body was responding. I played tournaments, picked up points and medals and climbed up the rankings again. After the Asian Para-Youth Games (2021), I had to withdraw from the World Championships in Japan in 2022, because of the surgery I had undergone. The World Championships in 2024 in Pattaya was my first major tournament post-surgery, so it was a very special tournament for me. I was very happy to win a bronze there and with that I also ensured my qualification for the Paris Paralympic Games.
I am world number 3 right now and recently during the Asian Para-badminton Championships in June this year, I was playing my finals in the women’s singles and during the third game, there was a rally in which I jumped and while landing I twisted my knee, so I have had to undergo one more major surgery for ACL, PCL and MCL (knee ligaments that provide stability) repair and ACL reconstruction. So, that’s another challenge that’s come up for me.
So, currently, you are in the recovery phase?
Palak Kohli: Yes, currently I am in rehabilitation. We have our rehab sessions etc. to prepare for the upcoming World Championships (in Thailand).
You are a three-time Asian Youth Para Games medallist. Talk to me a little bit about the importance of this tournament and also which countries have the really talented young para-badminton players these days?
Palak Kohli: The Asian Para-Youth Games is a really good opportunity because in para-badminton, we don’t have any age categories. So, if a child starts playing at the age of 14 or 15 and goes for an international tournament, there are no junior international tournaments; it’s all senior tournaments. The Asian Para-Youth Games happens once every four years, so these Games give opportunities to youngsters to pick up valuable experience – what it feels like to wear that Indian jersey and to play with athletes who are of similar age.
It really boosts the confidence of the youngsters. Self-discipline, self-confidence – it all gets a boost by playing an event like this. India is of course, dominating in para-badminton. We always have a huge medal tally in every tournament. Countries like Japan, China, and Indonesia also have a very good young lot of players.
You switched from the SU5 (players with movement affected at a low level in one arm) to the SL4 category (players with movement affected at a low level on one side of the body). How challenging was this move and what prompted it?
Palak Kohli: This has been a very challenging and tough transition. Post my operative surgery and post the trauma it caused in my leg, there was a switch in my category. But this is actually a disadvantage for me. I compete in a category now where athletes have a disability in their leg, but I also have that in my upper body as well. But, yes, I don’t like to complain. I just want to give my best and train my body to do everything it can do.
Talk to me a little bit about the coaching and overall technical help and support you have received so far in your career, especially from National coach and Dronacharya awardee, Gaurav Khanna…
Palak Kohli: I consider myself to be very blessed to be in such an environment, which is so friendly and comfortable. In our academy, we now have many youngsters there as well who are picking up the sport. The environment that Gaurav sir has created in Indian para-badminton and in the academy is amazing. We have so much fun. We mimic each other’s style of walking or talking and that is very healthy. We enjoy it. He (Gaurav Khanna) never looks at any athlete like he or she needs sympathy or views them as ‘bechaara’ (helpless). His attitude is – ‘kyon nahin kar sakte?’ (why can’t you do it?) We have modifications for everybody in a drill. So, for example, if we have a skipping drill, the athletes who can skip are skipping, those who have upper hand problems, they do jumps with the same timer, the athletes in wheelchairs will do shadow movements with the same timer. So, the same timer is running, but different athletes are given different tasks, so that nobody feels like – ‘hum Nahin kar saktein’ (we can’t do this). He also plans for tournaments very well – which to play, which to drop.
When it comes to coaching, I think he is the best in the world. (He knows) how to train for different strokes, how to train for deception, whether it’s mind-training or reflexes. So, I feel very blessed that we met him outside a mall (in Jalandhar) – which transformed my life. I feel blessed to have an idol like him, to have him as a mentor, as I look ahead to the major goals in life and the tournaments that are coming up, where I can make my country proud by winning multiple medals.
Finally, what next for Palak Kohli – after rehabilitation and recovery are complete?
Palak Kohli: Looking forward to the World Championships next year in Bahrain, also the Asian Para Games in 2026. And the big one, of course, will be LA 2028 (next edition of the Paralympics from Aug 15-27, 2028). That is the main goal. These are the major targets (that) we have (set for ourselves).
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