Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan-From Bullying to Glory of Arjuna Award

Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan, the 19-year-old Paralympic bronze medallist, has had to face severe personal battles in her life, such as being bullied for years during her school days, to emerge as a renowned sportsperson. Recently, she was bestowed with the coveted Arjuna Award, a recognition that she feels answers all those who doubted her potential in her younger years.

Nithya's past life leaves her reminiscing about the tears she had while in school, the pain and isolation felt. "I was not emotionally growing up," she says during an interview with this reporter; "I would be bullied each day when I was in 6th or 7th grade." Those sad years made her cry over nothing. Yet, it's this challenging period that has now imparted the energy to prove themselves. The Arjuna Award is a response to painful memories and speaks of a triumphal answer that she had longed for to defeat the taunting and cruelty given to her at that time. "It's a way showing them that I can do something great and big," says Nithya with a beaming smile.

Her journey from being a novice to becoming an ace athlete is really inspiring. Nithya's interest in badminton came after watching the game for the first time during the 2016 Rio Olympics. The spark was set ablaze then, which went on to alter the course of her life. Thereafter, badminton became an all-consuming interest and dominated her world as she devoted herself to the sport with unrelenting determination.

Earlier, Nithya had a life of withdrawal. "I used to stay inside the house a lot," she says. She father could see she was emotionally not alright and that is why he told her to join some sports activity that will make her bold and come out of her shell. "Badminton has provided me with freedom," she says, adding that the game has helped her both physically and mentally. "I was a reclusive personality before; now, I can mingle with a lot of people."

Nithya's smooth rise to the top hasn't been a cakewalk though. Born in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, Nithya experienced many ups and downs-her mother expired in a cremation when she was just one-year-old. Despite all these challenges, her father and grandmother have been the pillars of support to her, while her brother stood by her through thick and thin. Much of Nithya's progress, she credits to the encouragement and support of her family. "My father and grandmother have always been there for me, pushing me to never give up," she shares.

She was introduced to the world of sports through her father, who was an avid cricket enthusiast. She used to go with him on Sundays to watch his cricket team play and had her brother as a district-level cricket player, introducing her to the game. Initially, it looked like her first love, cricket; however, soon she felt the dearth of women cricketers that led her to think over the decision she made. "When I thought of cricketing, there was no woman sportsperson around. That was when badminton struck me," she clarifies.

It is not long, however, until her passion in the game finally began to trickle through in form of skills and prowess on court. Nithya's latent ability coupled with tenacity ensures that she came out with multiple significant results on the field, one of those being three consecutive bronze medals, which put her among the frontrunners from India to the para-sports world in the Asian Games 2022.

Getting this Arjuna Award has thus been a big success in her journey. "I have seen many of my fellow athletes win accolades and do great things. To now be a recipient of a national award is a great honor," says Nithya. For her, the medals and accolades are not only about recognizing her athleticism but also a testament to how much effort she has put into sports, including everyday sacrifices. "All the awards feel like a gift to me. They're a reflection of my dedication and discipline."

The personal victory for her is much greater than the victory in the field. The transformation of a girl bullied, sad, and lonely into a national champion through sheer strength shows the human will to persevere. She reminded everyone that with determination and hard work, any dark phase in life could become a stepping stone to achieving victory.

Today, Nithya is not merely a Paralympic medal winner and an Arjuna Award winner. She is an inspiration of strength, resilience, and hope to young people everywhere. Badminton has given her the voice as well as an opportunity to show the way to others who will have to strive hard to overcome their hurdles and realize their dream.