The complete story of Paralympian Deepa Malik who rides bikes, swims across rivers, and is in constant search for room to house her medals
Look at your heroes from afar, they say. Contact withers them. I sit in my room in Mumbai awaiting a call from silver medalwinning Paralympian Deepa Malik – the first woman ever to win India a medal in these games through her personal best throw in the Women’s Shot Put at the 2016 Rio Paralympics Games. I remember fidgeting nervously, incessantly clicking a retractable pen like I am wont to do in situations I feel uncertain in. Would she reject my sub-consciously rampant use of the word ‘inspiring’, look at it as disdainful rather than appreciative, thinking this sentiment originates in pity? How should I approach the topic of her disability – is it even right to call it disability? I didn’t want to use emotional phrases and take the emphasis away from the sport, but the fact was that the way she had led her life from whatever I had read in newspapers so far, was only putting my own in perspective, making me question how it was that I could not gather half her dedication and honesty to follow my own dreams. Of course I wanted to focus on the Rio Olympics and the journey that led to this, but would it pain her to revisit the time that paralysis hit? So many questions.
The call comes through. And in the place of a salutation, I hear her shriek gleefully about the jewellery our stylist had sourced for this shoot. “I had participated in a beauty pageant when I was younger. It was primarily so that I could get professional hair and make-up done, and wear designer clothing,” she tells the stylist and me simultaneously. “Exactly why I agreed to your shoot.” We all crack up, her melodic laugh sounding the loudest and the clearest. My shoulders relax. And for the next four hours, we talk about our lives, loves, hopes, dreams, ambitions, achievements and frustrations.
FROM THE TOP
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 2016 من Grazia.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 2016 من Grazia.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
More Than It Seams
Who says lace can’t be hewn from leather? Or that paper can’t sit on the body like a weathered old sweater? In a time of rampant production and boundless creativity, is material the final frontier for designers? When all else seems lost to the algorithm, fashion’s deceptive ingenuity requires us to look a little closer
Under The Needle
With filler-face phasing out, we are embracing the natural aesthetic but not how you might expect it
BUILDING A LEGACY
Driven by passion and a commitment to quality, this brand is making a mark in the luxury furniture market with a perfect blend of local artistry and global design
A WALK DOWN FIFTH AVENUE
From high fashion to historic landmarks, this coffee table book explores how Fifth Avenue became the heartbeat of New York's cultural and social scene
NO SEX, MO' PROBLEMS?
At a time when sex seems to be everywhere, women are experiencing a dip in their sexual desires. We find out why
TABLE FOR ONE, PLEASE
In a world obsessed with couplegoals, here’s why taking yourself out for a date might just be the ultimate love story
THE DREAM CANVAS
In the city that wholeheartedly embraces its role as a global cultural hub, the second edition of Art Mumbai promises to redefine creativity and innovation
SPRING FORWARD
Of hits, misses, and everything in between this season at Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI
LUST-WORTHY LUXURY LABELS
To Light Up This Wedding Season
ICONIC DESIGN MEETS A MOBILE FUTURE
The new Dell XPS is designed for new age content creators and suave C-suite