Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh) : A young woman from Srikakulam overcame her disability and reaped a rich harvest of medals in national-level competitions, proving that with continuous effort anybody can achieve anything. She did not flinch even when looked down upon. She defied physical limitations and rose to the international level. In an accident, she lost movement in her legs. However, she rose from a small village to go to the international tournament in para-badminton.
This young lady's name is Padala Rupa Devi, hailing from Santavuriti village in Srikakulam district. Her father died when she was young. The girl grew up with her grandmother and grandfather. However, she was active in her studies. First in Class X and Intermediate. After completing the first year of her degree, she accidentally fell from a two-story building in Vijayawada. As a result, the spinal cord was damaged and she was unable to walk.
Rupa doesn't like to see everyone taking pity on her at that time. To prove herself again, she trained herself to do personal tasks with the help of doctors. After reaching the level of self-employment, she went to a training camp in Bangalore to find a job. Rupa Devi came to know about para-badminton while returning home.
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Having won gold and silver medals at the national level, this young woman has qualified for the international competition to be held in Thailand from May 9 to 14. It is a multi-million dollar affair. But, their family's financial level is limited. Rupa says she can bring a medal to the country if given financial assistance. This young lady says that many people stood by when the accident happened. She says that only education has the power to rule anything in the world, so she continues her studies without stopping.
Rupa's grandfather says that she dares to go anywhere and till now she has reached this level though they have no houses to stay in at least. He is asking the government and donors to help his granddaughter's career. Winning medals at the national level regardless of disability is great. Locals say that those who felt sorry for Rupa Devi are now proud of her. Now she hopes to participate at the international level and win more medals.
In this society where many people succumb to the small difficulties that come with time, this young lady was qualified for international competitions even though she was unable to move her legs. But, financial conditions are standing in her way to participate in those competitions. Locals hope that the government and donors will help take Rupa's career further.
