Unbreakable: How Murlikant Petkar Defied Tragedy to Win Gold for India

The release of “Chandu Champion” brought to life the extraordinary story of a man whose grit and determination transcended every obstacle thrown his way. But the ‘real’ Chandu Champion is none other than Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medalist, a man who redefined resilience and set a gold standard for generations to come.

At PRAXIS11, we came face to face with India’s First Paralympic Gold Medalist swimmer – The real “Chandu Champion”: Murlikant Petkar, as he spoke about – Positivity, Creativity & Happiness.
.

Petkar’s life journey is nothing short of legendary. Born in a small village near Sangli, Maharashtra, he grew up dreaming of representing India in wrestling and later boxing. He eventually joined the Indian Army, where his love for sports found a platform. However, life had other plans. During the 1965 war, Petkar was grievously injured, (taking nine bullets) one of which still remains lodged in his spine to this day!

But this was not the end of Petkar’s story. Instead, it marked the beginning of a saga of resilience. Despite slipping in and out of a coma for two years, he fought his way back and found a new passion – Paralympic swimming. And not just that: at the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg, Germany, he won India’s first-ever Paralympic gold medal, setting a world record in the 50m freestyle event with a time of 37.33 seconds.

Champion Against All Odds: The Real Story Behind ‘Chandu Champion’

From Soldier to Sports Icon:  In a dialogue with Hrishikesh Kannan, National Brand Head, 94.3 RadioOne Network, Petkar shared how his journey began with his father, a freedom fighter, and a profession rooted in tailoring. Despite early struggles and the pressures of financial survival, young Petkar had an unshakable dream to win a gold medal for India. He fondly recalled how he used to watch ‘kushti’ (wrestling) matches in his village as a child, without even knowing the difference between gold, silver, and bronze medals.

From the Battlefield to Paralympic Glory

His dreams took a dramatic turn when he joined the Indian Army and was trained as a boxer. Selected to represent India in boxing at the International Services Sports Meet in Tokyo in 1964, Petkar came close to victory but narrowly missed a win. However, it was during the 1965 war that his life pattern changed forever. Surviving multiple gunshots, he faced the toughest battle, that is, his own recovery. Yet, it was his inner champion that led him to rise from this tragedy and embrace a new challenge – Paralympic swimming.

A Gold Medal Moment

Despite the darkest hours of his life, Petkar emerged victorious, not just for himself but for the nation. In 1972, he won a gold medal at the Munich Paralympics, a victory that was nearly forgotten until he was honored with the Arjuna Award in 2017 and the Padma Shri in 2018. Petkar’s story is not just one of athletic prowess; it is a reminder of the unbreakable spirit of human will.

Even after facing such hardships, Petkar remains humble and hopeful. He believes in the potential of the new generation, urging them to bring more honour to India. “I’ve got my gold medal. Now it’s their turn,” he said with unwavering optimism.

The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.

Shree Lahiri

Shree is the Senior Editor at Reputation Today and hopes to move from one focus area to another in the editions that will be released this year. Having worked in Corporate Communications teams, she has experience of advertising, public relations, investor and employee communications, after which she moved to the other side – journalism. She enjoys writing and believes the power of the pen is indeed mighty. Covering the entertainment beat and the media business, she has been involved in a wide range of activities that have thrown open storytelling opportunities.

She can be reached at: @shree_la on twitter