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From a heart-breaking rejection to a golden podium finish, life has sure come a long way for Sukant Kadam. Sukant Kadam’s journey has been a remarkable one, marked by a transformation from a devastating rejection to claiming victory. Throughout his path, Sukant’s unwavering determination and unwavering optimism have served as a profound inspiration for the entire nation. Despite facing numerous obstacles, rejections, and a lack of support, Sukant displayed unprecedented strength and resilience to overcome them all. In this blog, we will look at para-badminton player Sukant Kadam’s journey, achievements, rank, injuries, etc.
About Sukant Kadam
| Name | Sukant Kadam |
| DOB | 9 May 1993 |
| Place of Birth | Kautholi, Maharashtra, India |
| Age | 30 |
| Height | 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) |
| Weight | 60 kg (132 lb) |
| Handedness | Right |
| Coach | Nikhil Kanetkar and Mayank Gole |
| Highest Ranking | 2 (MS) 1 (MD with Pramod Bhagat) |
| Current Ranking | 3 (MS) -May 2023 1 (MD with Pramod Bhagat)- May 2023 |
| Achievements | Bronze medals in world championships, Gold in IWAS World Games, Bronze in Asian Para Games, Bronze in Asian Championships, Gold in Peru Para Badminton Championship, Gold and silver in Spanish Para badminton, etc. |
Sukant Kadam Biography
Early Days
Hailing from Sangli in Maharashtra, Sukant Kadam was obsessed with cricket as a child, like most Indian boys. The fame and prestige associated with the game attracted him to it. Ironically, his life took a twisted turn on a cricket field itself. He was just ten years old then, enjoying a game of cricket with his friends when he fell and injured his left leg on the field. Sukant ignored the injury and hid it from his parents.
The Serious Injury
Unfortunately, the infection spread and his injury turned serious. Numerous surgeries followed, and Sukant slowly recuperated. However, he couldn’t bend his left knee anymore. For the next few years, on the insistence of his parents, Sukant decided to focus on his studies solely. He didn’t play any sport.
The Return
After finishing his 12th std exams, Sukant decided to opt for Engineering. He pursued Mechanical Engineering from the Government College of Engineering and Research Avasari, Pune. During this phase, he developed an interest in badminton. However, due to his left leg injury, Sukant could not qualify for his college team’s selections. Sukant in an interview, stated,
“I was not selected for the college team because my movement was very slow, according to them. I was disappointed and started playing seriously for a year and got a chance. This was how my career started,”
Not the one to lose hope, he continued playing badminton with corporate people and even hired a coach. Despite the hectic engineering schedule, he always found time to pursue his new-found dream. After finishing his studies, he started training under Pune-based coach Nikhil Kanetkar and later shifted to Hyderabad to learn from the very best – P Gopichand.
Sukant Kadam Career
Para-badminton brought a new lease of hope to Sukant’s life. His passion turned into his dream. Around the year 2012, Sukant started focusing on professional para-badminton. He found inspiration in Girish Gowda, a talented para-badminton player.
He first shone at the India-multi-sports tournament organized by the Rotary Club. Winning the gold medal at this event gave him a big morale boost. He realized that he was destined for bigger things, and started focusing on preparing for the nationals.
In 2014, he also participated in the England Championships. Many stalwarts noticed his progress. The real turning point of his life was when he joined Nikhil Kanetkar Badminton Academy in Pune.
In 2016, he won his first international medal, a bronze at the FZ Forza Irish Para-Badminton Championships. He followed it with another bronze at the Asian Championships held in China. His hat-trick of bronze medals continued with another one at the Spanish Para-Badminton Championships in 2017. In 2018, he bagged a bronze medal at the Asian Para Games. In 2019 IWAS World Games, he won the gold medal for India. In March 2022, Kadam claimed a silver and a bronze in the Spanish Para badminton International II tournament in Vitoria, Spain. Sukant Kadam shines with a gold medal in Peru Para Badminton Championship in December 2022.
World Ranking
In a very short period, Sukant has established himself as the very best in Para-badminton. He has numerous milestones to look forward to, and at the pace and determination he is moving ahead, we can just wait and watch. His current world ranking is 3rd in the MS SL4 category and 1st with Pramod Bhagat in the MD SL3-SL4 category as on May 2023.
Playing Style of Sukant Kadam
As a result of his left leg injury, Sukant cannot bend his leg. He has developed his playing style accordingly. Sukant cannot cover the left side of the court, but his strong right leg helps him lunge and defend. He can push his body forward and anticipate the shuttle very well. He has developed his backhand stroke by taking advantage of his body strength.
The Tweet That Brought Sukant Kadam into Spotlight
Honorable @narendramodi sir,
— Sukant Kadam (@sukant9993) August 27, 2019
We Para Badminton Athletes also won 12 medals in Para-Badminton World Championship and we also want your blessings.Request you to allow us to meet as we missed a chance aftr Asian Games@PramodBhagat83 @joshimanasi11
@manojshuttler @GauravParaCoach https://t.co/1zCqE91VAh
After PV Sindhu became the first Indian shuttler to win the BWF World Championships in 2019. However, in the same competition, Indian Para-badminton athletes won 12 medals. But they didn’t receive equal appreciation from the PM.
Sukant made it a point to let the Prime Minister know about this. In a reply to PM’s PV Sindhu tweet, Sukant wrote, “Honourable Narendra Modi Sir, We Para-Badminton Athletes also won 12 medals in Para-Badminton World Championship and we also want your blessings. Request you to allow us to meet as we missed a chance after Asian Games.”
His tweet soon went viral, receiving 29k likes. The result was mind-blowing – the Prime Minister took note of his request and posted a tweet the next day congratulating all the 12 Para athletes.
130 crore Indians are extremely proud of the Indian Para Badminton contingent, which has brought home 12 medals at BWF World Championships 2019.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 28, 2019
Congratulations to the entire team, whose success is extremely gladdening and motivating. Each of these players is remarkable!
Also Read | PV Sindhu Bio | Full name | Badminton Career | Olympics | Images
Social Media: Sukant Kadam
"A good coach can change a game, Great coach can change a life"
— Sukant Kadam (@sukant9993) December 11, 2019
Thank you so much for all the support and help @GauravParaCoach sir. your guidance is invaluable to me. Wishing you a very happy birthday and a fantastic year ahead! @ParalympicIndia pic.twitter.com/VeTB5MDdTx
Champions ✌️ what a great 2 week of competition very happy with performance. Thanks to @ppbaindia and @OGQ_India for great support and guidance. #ParaBadminton #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/6Pya5XsRWd
— Sukant Kadam (@sukant9993) May 23, 2023
Into Finals of Bahrain Para Badminton International 2023#ParaBadminton #SukantKadam #PramodBhagat pic.twitter.com/uTJlSshG0y
— Sukant Kadam (@sukant9993) May 22, 2023
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Also Read | Which is the Best Badminton Rackets under 4000 in India?
FAQ
Sukant Kadam is an Indian para-badminton player who competes in the SL4 (Standing Lower 4) category.
Sukant Kadam was born on 9 May 1993 in Kautholi, Maharashtra, India.
His current world ranking is 3rd in the MS SL4 category and 1st with Pramod Bhagat in the MD SL3-SL4 category as on May 2023.
