Sukant Kadam: Beyond Boundaries

Sukant Kadam is a well-known para-badminton shuttler of India. With his outstanding playing techniques and determination, he has established himself as one of the most eminent para-badminton players. The player was born in Pune on 9th May 1993. The young and inspiring 25-year-old shuttler has been representing India and continuously making everyone proud.

Background

Sukant Kadam is not just a badminton player, but he is also a well-educated youngster of India. He pursued Bachelor of Engineering- Mechanical Engineering Department from Government College of Engineering and Research Avasari, Pune. During his college days, Sukant has had a hard time. His college life was not as easy as other students. He had a lot of interest in badminton and tried to get into the badminton team of his college.

Due to a disability in his left leg, Sukant has a slow movement, because of which he was also rejected from the badminton team of his college. He was disappointed by the decision of the sports committee and wanted to prove himself. However, the young shuttler never gave up. After a year of arduous and back-breaking practice with immense efforts, he smashed his way to becoming a part of the college team. After that, he never stopped. That was the time when he started his badminton career.

From the beginning, Sukant has been an outstanding badminton player. He used to knock out all his opponents in the college. Sukant was so much impressed and inspired by Girsh N Gowda, another para-badminton athlete, who won a Bronze medal in a tournament. By that time, he was not at all aware with the various programs which are specially targeted for the disabled. As he was good at badminton, he thought of trying to fetch more information and contacts, to get a chance in the para-badminton challenges. This was the beginning of the breakthrough of his life as a sportsman.

The Genesis

In 2013, he got his first chance to play as a para-badminton shuttler. He got the golden opportunity to play the India-multi-sports tournament, organized by the Rotary Club. All the participants were amateurs and so was Kadam. He showcased his skills and talent at the Rotary Club and won a Gold medal in 2013. It was a huge boost for the shuttler because he played with several other shuttlers from every corner of the nation and proved himself as the best amongst all, after which he embarked a voyage, which changed his life.

After his triumph at the Rotary Club tournament, Sukant started practising for the nationals. Later he got a chance to get into the nationals for the disabled, where he fought hard to win the tournament. However, in the quarterfinals, he lost the game at the nationals, but he took that defeat in a more pragmatic way. By that time, he understood that the level of competition will be much higher than expected. He knew that he had to face many tough challenges in the future, so he started to practice for the upcoming competitions.

Career Breakthrough

During his third year of the college, Sukant got a chance to highlight his talent at the international level. He participated in the 2014 England Championships, where he performed well. Although he couldn’t win any laurel in the competition, he surely adapted a few techniques and evaluated the level of competition. It was surely a great exposure for the shuttler.

The shuttler came to know about his weaknesses, as he compared his game with other shuttlers. After his return from the England Tour, the next two years of his life were already focused and devoted to laborious practice. His hard work paid off, and he got a chance to play at the Nikhil Kanetkar Badminton Academy, Pune, in the year 2015. This opportunity has changed a lot for the shuttler and his career, as a badminton player.

Achievements

The year 2016, came to him as the most memorable and amazing year of his badminton career, where the shuttler won his first ever International medal. He remained a runner-up at the FZ Forza Irish Para-Badminton Championships and brought a Bronze medal.

At the Asian Championships that was held at China, he again collected the second International Bronze of his badminton career by winning the Doubles final match.

In the year 2017, Sukant ventured at the Spanish Para-Badminton Championships, where he acquired the third position in the Men’s Singles category. He achieved his personal record of winning back-to-back Bronze, as Kadam triumph the Thailand Para-Badminton International held in June 2017.

In the Para-Badminton Nationals 2017, he finished as the runner-up of the tournament.

In May 2017, he partaked in the Para-Badminton tournament, held at Turkey and won 2 silver medals in different categories. He had also got the golden opportunity to represent India at the BWF World Para-Badminton Championships in Nov 2017.

The year 2018 came to him as one of the most fortunate years of his badminton career. At the 7th Spanish Para-Badminton International 2018, which was held in May, the top-seeded Sukant won the long-awaited title of his badminton career. He bagged a gold medal in the final of the Men’s Singles category.

Later in April 2018, Sukant shocked the world by winning gold twice at a single tournament. At the Uganda Para-Badminton International 2018, Sukant clinched the title of the Men’s Singles category and won a golden laurel. At the same tournament, Sukant also conquered Gold in the Men’s Doubles category.

In April 2018, Sukant brought a Silver laurel by conquering the Dubai Para-Badminton International 2018. Sukant’s position at the BWF ranking uplifted from the 3rd rank. He became the World No 2 Para-Badminton shuttler and made the entire nation, along with the NKBA, proud. Sukant Kadam has been a great shuttler and in past 5 years, which is a very short span of his career, the shuttler has showcased his talent.

Looking Forward

The next destination of this enthusiastic shuttler is the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, which will embark from October 8th.

Without any kind of financial help from the state and the central government, Sukant has been battling and struggling, to keep the tricolour’s dignity in front of the entire world. Sukant is supported by the Nikhil Kantekar Badminton Academy, where he gets his training.

The superlative shuttler is looking forward to the upcoming Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020. We wish this outstanding shuttler, all the best and we hope that he will bring more laurels and make himself and all of us, proud of him.