Champ coach
Suman’s small house tucked away on a busy street in New Delhi’s Pahargunj was abuzz with excitement on the day of her return from the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2013 held in PyeongChang, South Korea. Her family braced themselves to welcome their youngest daughter who had just led the gold-winning team from India in floor hockey at the Games.
For Suman, success could not have tasted sweeter. The 20-year-old has had her fair share of struggle before she enrolled into a school which recognised her special needs.
When Suman failed for the third time in Class 5, we realised she had special needs, says her mother, We then admitted her to a school for intellectually disabled children, where she got the chance to get trained in sports by Special Olympics Bharat.
Suman discovered the world of sports through the Special Olympics Bharat and started training in basketball and badminton. Eventually, it was floor hockey that she found her true calling in. Her remarkable performance at the sport soon earned her a spot as the Indian team’s captain.
Today, Suman is also an assistant coach for Special Olympics Bharat. The girl who was once terrified of injuries now helps several other children get over their fears.
She is truly a shining asset for her family and for the Special Olympics Bharat team.