Mr Wheelchair India, Banker, and now Para Asian Games gold medalist: Meet Pranav Soorma

Chandigarh: At the age of 16, Pranav Soorma's life took an unexpected turn when a spinal injury left him paralysed from the chest down, confining him to a wheelchair. Despite this life-altering setback, Pranav adopted a new mantra for life: "Life is when we seize every opportunity, extract our best from it, try something new each day, and do what we love." 

With this determination, he rewrote his destiny, achieving remarkable milestones. He scored 91.2 per cent in his 12th board exams, an improvement of over 15 per cent compared to his 10th board grades. 

Pranav pursued post-graduation in commerce at one of India's prestigious colleges, Delhi School of Economics. He went on to win the title of Mr. Wheelchair India, clearing bank exams and securing a position as an Assistant Manager at the Bank of Baroda. The latest addition to his remarkable journey is a Para Asian Games gold medal.

On Monday, Pranav led the Indian contingent, achieving a clean sweep in the men's club throw event during the second day of the 4th Para Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. With a throw of 30.01m, he clinched top honours, with other Indian athletes, Dharambir Nain and Amit Saroha, securing silver and bronze medals, respectively.

"Winning gold at the Para Asian Games is a defining moment for me, especially when I recalled the time when the doctor informed me that I would spend my entire life in a wheelchair, and I contemplated giving up before life had even begun for me," said elated Pranav, now 29 years old. "Considering my current ranking in Asia, I was confident of a podium finish, but winning gold is truly motivating. I owe this success to my coaches and my father, who made a significant sacrifice by leaving his job to support me in my sporting endeavours."

The performance of Indian differently-abled athletes in the 2016 Rio Paralympics inspired Pranav to explore options in para-sports as well. In 2018, he ventured into the world of para-sports, and as they say, the rest is history.

"Initially, academics were my strength in coping with my disability, and with the addition of para-sports in my life, I found another source of strength to pursue my dreams," said Pranav. "Now, the word 'disabled' doesn't hold much importance in my life, except if I break it down to 'this is able.' That makes much more sense to me. Most of us go through life without truly living, following the same mundane routine every day and calling it life. But for me, that's not life. I hold a different ideology: make the most out of life and give your best. This mindset keeps me striving to achieve great heights."

The tragic accident 

In 2011, Pranav had just entered the 11th grade, pursuing a commerce stream. However, his life took a dramatic turn during a visit to his cousin's place in Faridabad when a cement sheet fell on his head, resulting in a severe spinal injury. He endured six months of hospitalisation, after which a wheelchair became an inseparable part of his life.

"Two days after my surgery, the doctor at the Indian Spinal Injury Centre in Delhi delivered the heartbreaking news that I would never walk again and that my life would be forever confined to a wheelchair. It was a devastating revelation, shattering my dreams and leaving me in despair," Pranav recounted. 

"During my nearly six-month stay at the Indian Spinal Injury Centre, I had the opportunity to interact with other patients facing similar challenges, which gradually changed my perspective on life. Yet, in the back of my mind, I held onto hope that I might regain the ability to walk in the coming years. It was only after three to four years of living with the injury that I finally accepted that the wheelchair would be my lifelong companion, and I would need to pursue my dreams with it," shared Pranav, a resident of Faridabad. "I had been a diligent student in school, so post-injury, I redirected my focus towards academics and decided to build my career through this avenue."

From roller skates to a Wheelchair in pursuit of sports

Pranav, an alumnus of St. Paul's School in Delhi, was the cricket captain of the school team and used to play football, tennis, volleyball, and roller hockey at the inter-school level. After becoming paralysed from the chest down, sports seemed like a distant dream, but he rediscovered his passion for sports, this time on a wheelchair.

His first experience with wheelchair sports was in rugby as part of his rehabilitation. In 2016, he represented India in an international event in Indonesia.

"My focus had solely been on academics until then, and I gained admission to the Delhi School of Economics. Sports were limited to recreation and rehabilitation," said Pranav. "In 2017, I participated in the Mr. Wheelchair India event in Mumbai, and my positive approach to living a fulfilling life despite being wheelchair-bound earned me the title," added Pranav, who is 6' 2" tall. 

In 2018, Pranav connected with former Paralympian Girraj Singh, currently serving as Deputy Director with the Haryana Sports Department, which sparked his interest in para-athletics.

"After the success of Indian para-athletes in the 2016 Rio Paralympics, awareness about differently-abled sports increased significantly, and I began exploring sports as another path to achieve excellence in life. I approached Girraj Singh, a former Paralympian from Faridabad, and he introduced me to Narsi Ram sir, who coached me in club and discus throw events," said Pranav.

Being in a wheelchair, Pranav required an escort to assist him during training. In 2019, his father, Sanjeev, who was working in a private company, made the decision to quit his job to support his son's sports career.

"An escort plays a crucial role for wheelchair-bound athletes, so from my first day in para-athletics, my father has accompanied me to training and competitions. He is even with me in Hangzhou," said Pranav.

"Back then, I never imagined I would pursue sports as a profession, but fate has led me here, and now I am a professional sportsperson. After the Para Asian Games, my goal is to make my country proud in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games - referred to as the Olympics for differently-abled athletes."

'I believe that some may have to traverse a challenging path, but if your plan doesn't work, then change the plan, not the goal,' said Pranav regarding his success in para-sports."