Rishit Nathwani: From paralysis to para table tennis glory

Rishit Nathwani’s journey from a devastating injury to national glory is nothing short of extraordinary. The 21-year-old para table tennis player, who recently clinched gold in the men’s Class 5 category at a major national para sports event, has defied all odds to carve out a new identity in the sport.

His life changed forever in 2017 during a casual kabaddi match when an unexpected injury left him paralysed from neck down. “I hurt my back,” Rishit recalls. “There was internal bleeding, which caused my nerves to ‘break’ and the spine moved a little. This caused paralysis in the region below the neck.” Doctors were doubtful he would ever walk again, let alone return to sports. But Rishit and his family refused to give up.

After two years of intense physiotherapy, he regained movement in his upper body. Initially, his goal was to return to cricket, but he soon realised his path lay elsewhere. A chance encounter with a coach introduced him to para table tennis, and within two years, he won a national silver medal at just 19.

“He told me that I could win the nationals if I played!” Rishit recalls. He proved his coach right, winning gold this year after defeating two seasoned opponents, including a player who had previously beaten him. “Everyone was congratulating me because I had beaten two top TT players on the way to the gold. Everyone was very proud,” he says.

Now, his focus is on international tournaments and securing a spot at the 2028 Paralympics. His mother, Vidhi Nathwani, who stood by him throughout, recalls, “When Rishit got injured, the doctors told us he should think about leaving sports. They said he wouldn’t even get out of bed.” Seeing him compete at a national level today is a moment of immense pride.

Beyond medals, Rishit also wants to raise awareness about para sports. “Many para-athletes don’t know about the sports they can play,” he says. “When they watch these games on TV, they’ll realise they can also participate and excel.”