From suspension to redemption: Pramod Bhagat's remarkable return to para badminton

New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) When Pramod Bhagat's 18-month anti-doping suspension shattered his dreams of defending the Olympic gold at the Paris Games, few could have predicted the extraordinary comeback that would follow.

For a man who has spent his life defying odds, starting with childhood polio contracted from a faulty vaccine, this was simply another mountain to climb.

Following the end of his suspension in September, Bhagat, the Tokyo Paralympic champion, re-entered the world para badminton circuit with renewed focus, winning 10 gold medals across singles, men's doubles and mixed doubles in tournaments held in China, Nigeria, Australia, and Japan.

These victories propelled him back to the top of the men's doubles world rankings and restored his position among the top five singles players globally.

"It was a big mistake, it was very hard for me. I knew that when I come back after one and a half years, it will not be so easy for me to make a comeback," Bhagat told PTI.

"The players who are playing now, their confidence level will be high. Everyone's game will be different, there will be a lot of changes. Technique also matters a lot. I kept all this in mind and prepared myself for the same.

"The planning I did was successful and now finally, I've qualified for the World Championships. I told myself that after coming back, I will do whatever it takes to get back my domination. I was able to do something like that." Bhagat's ban was the result of three 'whereabouts' failures in a 12-month period, as determined by the CAS Anti-Doping Division.

"It was a big shock but the reason of the ban was technical error. I know I missed out on Olympics but I knew I have given my 100 percent. I didn't get demoralised.

"Look, we have come up in life through a lot of struggles. Now there are lot of facilities but in 2004-05, there were a lot of struggle due to my disability. So I stood up. I was confident that I will come back." During his suspension, Bhagat undertook a bike expedition to the Himalayas, riding through Spiti and Ladakh. This journey, along with time spent with family, proved cathartic.

As a reminder of the 'whereabouts' error, Bhagat refrained from cutting his hair or shaving until he returned to competition and won gold in Japan, after which he shaved off his hair and beard.

"As soon as I came to know that I had been banned, I spent some time with my family. After that, I went to Spiti and Ladakh to keep myself in a peaceful environment. I took off on a bike with my friends," said Bhagat, recounting how he used the break to reset mentally.

"I utilised my time well. I felt bad for a month. But my friends were playing in the Olympics, so I watched the whole Olympics. After that I gave time to myself and started training after four months." In preparation for his return, he trained under Nikhil Kanetkar at NKBA, Pune, focusing on building endurance and strength, attributes that saw him clinch the China Open title after a marathon 130-minute final.

Bhagat has now set his sights on claiming a record sixth World Championship gold.

"I hope to achieve the world number one ranking in singles after playing in Egypt in January and then it will be the world championships where my sight is set. My idol is Lin Dan. While I had five World Championships like him, I want to go past him, that would be my real redemption," he signed off.

The BWF Para Badminton World Championships will be held in Bahrain from February 7 to 14 next year. PTI ATK AH