Para Athlete Simran Sharma's Success Story, Husband's Support As Society Said, 'Ghoonghat Karegi Ye'

They say behind every successful man, there is a woman. But sometimes, a man becomes the reason for his woman’s success. The same is the case with Paralympics champion, Simran Sharma. Born in Burari, Delhi, to Savita Sharma and Manoj Sharma, Simran faced numerous challenges throughout her life. Despite all the hardships, she defied all the odds and became a prominent name in Paralympics.

Simran is the first para-athlete to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021. Born prematurely at just six and a half months with visual impairment, Simran was put on an incubator right after her birth. Right from her childhood, Simran faced teasing and bullying from neighbours. But she never paid any heed to them. Today, let us look at Simran Sharma’s inspiring journey and how her husband, Gajendra Singh, became her pillar of strength.

Simran Sharma’s athletic journey began at school

Despite her visual impairment, Simran’s desire to overcome her obstacles made her a fighter. Her father, Manoj Sharma, was her constant source of inspiration and supported her throughout her journey. Simran was excellent in sports and won various medals. However, due to financial constraints, she could not get proper training.

Simran Sharma met Gajendra Singh, who became her coach

When Simran enrolled at Rukmani Modi Mahila Inter College in Modinagar, she never thought her life was going to change. Simran started taking part in inter-college competitions and realised her inner strength in sprinting.

In 2015, she met Gajendra Singh, a fellow athlete and an army soldier, who later became her coach. Gajendra recognised her potential and began training her and became the feathers she needed to fly. Talking about their first meeting, Gajendra recalled in an interview with The Times of India:

“I first met her in Modinagar some nine years ago and immediately realised Simran’s potential as a sprinter despite her disability. I helped her take up running and worked on building her muscle strength and stamina before concentrating on her technique. There were times when I would request the stadium authorities to make the ground available to us late in the night so that I could train her after returning from my other coaching duties.”

Gajendra Singh and Simran Sharma’s passion for athletics turned into a romantic relationship

Gajendra Singh and Simran Sharma’s shared passion for athletics brought them close, and they decided to get married. When the duo told their respective families, they resisted their union as both Gajendra and Simran came from different backgrounds. After a lot of cajoling, the two got married, and it was the beginning of Simran’s dream coming true.

Simran Sharma’s husband, Gajendra Singh, dedicated his entire salary to support her dream

In an interview with BBC, Simran talked about Gajendra being her biggest support system. Before Simran married Gajendra, he asked her what she wanted to do with her life, she casually responded that she wanted India to be written on her T-shirt. Though Simran casually said the words, it imbibed on Gajendra’s mind. Recalling a funny incident after their marriage, Simran said:

“Shaadi ke agle din utha ke bola chalo taiyaar ho jaao, gym jaana hai. Mere haathon me mehendi lagi hai, meri muh dikhaayi hone waali thi aur log aa rahe hain. Mai gym karke track suit me waapis aa rahi hoon aur muh dikhaayi waale log mujhse hi pooch rahe hain beta bahu kaha hain. Maine bola mai hi hoon ji.”

Simran Sharma recalled people scolding her mother-in-law for supporting her

In the same interview, Simran stated that people targeted her mother-in-law and started scolding her for supporting Simran. They accused Simran’s mother-in-law of letting her wear a lower and t-shirt, unlike the regular newlyweds. Narrating the same, Simran also stated how her mother-in-law was accused by their neighbours of spoiling society by giving unnecessary freedom to her daughter-in-law.

Many people asked Simran’s mother-in-law to make Simran cover her face (ghoonghat kaegi ye). But it was her mother-in-law’s response that won Simran’s heart forever and shut everyone’s mouth. Talking about her mother-in-law’s response, Simran said:

“Jab ye Olympics me jaayegi aur chote shorts pehenke daudegi to tum kya isko dekhoge nahi?”

Simran Sharma’s husband was sure to see her at the Olympics

When Simran started laughing after listening to the word Olympics, her husband asked why she was laughing, and she said that she could not go to the Olympics as she started sweating even when she watched the Olympics on TV. Listening to her, Gajendra said:

“Mujhe pata tum nahi kar sakti, lekin mujhe ye bhi pata hai ki mai tumse karwa doonga.”

Simran Sharma’s spectacular achievements

Simran Shama won two silver medals at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China. She secured three gold medals at the inaugural Khelo India Para Games in 2023. In 2024, she won a gold medal at the World Para Athletics Championship in Japan. In 2024, Simran Sharma was honoured with the Arjuna Award for her outstanding performance in Sports and Games.

What do you think about Simran Sharma’s success story and her coach-turned-husband, Gajendra Singh’s dedication and support towards her? 

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