Vinesh Phogat hails Dinshaw Pardiwala: When I stopped believing in myself after injuries, he got me back on my feet

Vinesh Phogat posted an emotional letter on social media on Friday, a week after she was heartbreakingly stopped from competing in the gold medal bout at the Paris Olympics because she was 100 grams over the stipulated weight in the 50 kilogram weight class. While Vinesh Phogat used the letter to thank many of those who had helped her in her journey, what stood out was the part she wrote about Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, who was the Indian contingent’s Chief Medical Officer at the Paris Olympics.

While Vinesh Phogat had challenged the decision to disqualify her at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, social media users had lashed out at Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala. It was Dr Pardiwala and Indian Olympic Association Chief PT Usha, who had addressed the media after Vinesh Phogat had failed the weigh in.

“Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala. This is not a new name in Indian sports. For me, and I think for many other Indian athletes, he is not just a doctor but an angel in disguise sent by god. When I had stopped believing in myself after facing injuries, it was his belief, work and faith in me that got me back on my feet again,” Vinesh Phogat wrote in her letter.

At Rio 2016, Vinesh Phogat’s Olympics had ended in tears and on a stretcher because of a gruesome injury she had sustained when China’s Sun Yunan fell on her foot in their quarter-final clash. It was Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala who had operated on her ACL at that stage and helped her comeback from that injury.

“Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala has operated on me not once but thrice (both knees and one elbow) and has shown me how resilient the human body can be. His dedication, kindness and honesty towards his work and towards Indian Sports is something no one will doubt including
God. I’m forever grateful to him and his entire team for their work and dedication. As a part of the Indian contingent, having him present at the Paris Olympics was a god’s gift for all fellow athletes,” wrote Vinesh Phogat in her letter.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.