IAF Officer Wins Two Golds In National Para-Swimming Competition
Mithilesh A
Pune, 31st March 2022: Wing Commander Shantanu Patna won two gold medals in the National Para-Swimming Competition in Udaipur where the competition was held from 23rd-27th March 2022.
While performing his duties at the Hasimara Base near Bhutan border in January 2017, Shantanu suffered a spinal cord injury due to a bike slip-of in dense snow. He was shifted to CH(Command Hospital) Kolkata for vital surgery. After the surgery, he remained on a ventilator for two months and his condition was very critical as his vital organs were starting to compromise. He had started to gain back gradual stability, and in March 2017 he was shifted to MH Kirkee for rehabilitation due to the disability of being a paraplegic.
With a constant sense of responsibility towards his family and nation and support from MH Krikee (Pune) and his wife Sujata Patna who he entangled into marriage just 3 months before the accident, now started to reframe his priorities despite his physical constraints.
During his rehabilitation from March 2018 onwards, he undertook ‘Aqua Therapy/ Hydro Therapy’ at MH Kirkee. Exposed to an intriguing challengeShantanu trained beyond comprehension and took up swimming as a competitive sport, And ever since he has achieved countless medals and trophies.
“Rediscovering Himself” after winning two gold medals at the Maharashtra State Level Swimming Championship organized by the Paralympic Swimming Association of Maharashtra. He was then selected in the trial held for services by National Swimming Competition to represent the Defence Services in National Para-Swimming Competition 2022 in Udaipur, where he managed to secure two gold medals.
His journey into sports is not just defined by his achievement in only swimming but also in Rowing and Shooting are a few other sports he is also competing in professionally. In 2019 he participated in Asian Para-Rowing Championship held in South Korea and secured the 5th Position. He fought in 2021 for Paralympic Rowing Qualification Regatta in Japan to represent the nation but was out-qualified. He also achieved 4th at the Zonal Para Shooting Competition.
His stories serve as an inspiration to many but in his own simple words, “It’s a matter of sheer determination and willingness to achieve whatever you may want regardless of what life throws at you”.
