MUMBAI: Disha Pandya was given a rude reminder about the fact she looked different very early on in life. Born with the genetic disorder known as Achondroplasia, which causes disproportionate dwarfism, Disha was only 6 when someone once asked her if she came from a circus.
“I used to go and hit people and ask them ‘why are you laughing at me?’. That’s the kind of anger I used to have,” says Disha.
Over the years, she learnt to handle such situations with greater composure, but meeting fellow dwarf Mark Dharmai in 2018 would prove to be a life-altering experience for Disha. An accomplished para athlete on the international stage, it was Mark who introduced Disha to badminton and it didn’t take too long for the full-time creative graphic designer to grab a taste of success. In the 2019 National Para badminton championship, Disha teamed up with Ruhi Shingade to win gold in the women’s doubles event and silver with Mark in mixed doubles under the SS6 (short stature) category.
“When I bagged my first medal for Maharashtra, I was overwhelmed and felt very proud because we don’t really get that kind of exposure,” says Disha, now 36.
Fuelled by an ambition to help dwarves across India discover their own potential and provide them with opportunities to live a more dignified life, Disha and Mark, drawing inspiration from the American organisation, Little People of America, started a movement called Little People of India three years ago. The group today comprises 250 dwarves from across the country, of which, Disha estimates, around 40 members play some sport depending on their physical capabilities.
“When you say ‘dwarf’, people tend to tease about it, so we want to bring others out and make them realise they can do something,” says Mark, who believes the sympathy and compassion people tend to usually have for those with other disabilities is lacking when it comes to dwarves.
A silver medallist in both discus throw and shot put at the 2017 World Dwarf Games, Mark has also excelled in badminton having once climbed as high as No. 3 in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles BWF para badminton rankings in the SS6 category.
His vast international experience has seen him take on the dual role of player and coach, since, as Disha points out, “there is no real defined coach for dwarfs”.
“The sad part is every time we go to a court, we don’t really get players like us who can play with us, so generally the courts are not available. All the able bodied players are playing and we can’t match that,” says Disha.
Having acquired membership at Bandra Gymkhana in 2013 thanks to his East Indian background and sporting accomplishments, Mark trains Disha, her husband Mitesh Thakkar, Ruhi and Siddhesh Shirke at the venue every Sunday. The Gymkhana’s management has generously opened its doors for the dwarves to practise free of charge, something the 37-year-old ‘Bandra boy’ Mark is grateful for, as the quintet prepares to compete in the 4th National Para Badminton Championship which takes place from December 24-26 in Bhubaneswar featuring 504 participants from 25 states.
There is then the bigger goal of the World Dwarf Games which is slated to be held next year but could be postponed to 2023 due to the pandemic. It’s a stage where both Mark and Ruhi, who won gold in powerlifting in the 2013 edition, have enjoyed success.
Their achievements would prove instrumental in securing government employment as district sports officers, jobs they had to endure a frustrating four-year wait for.
“We are trying to promote around 50 people for the World Dwarf Games, which is the biggest thing for us,” says Mark.
The way Disha looks at it, if she, who “never even played sport in school”, could go on to compete and win medals at a national championship, “anybody can”.
“I tell people, ‘stop telling yourself, you are different, you are disabled, because the possibilities are endless, it’s just you have not explored them’,” she says.
“I used to go and hit people and ask them ‘why are you laughing at me?’. That’s the kind of anger I used to have,” says Disha.
Over the years, she learnt to handle such situations with greater composure, but meeting fellow dwarf Mark Dharmai in 2018 would prove to be a life-altering experience for Disha. An accomplished para athlete on the international stage, it was Mark who introduced Disha to badminton and it didn’t take too long for the full-time creative graphic designer to grab a taste of success. In the 2019 National Para badminton championship, Disha teamed up with Ruhi Shingade to win gold in the women’s doubles event and silver with Mark in mixed doubles under the SS6 (short stature) category.
“When I bagged my first medal for Maharashtra, I was overwhelmed and felt very proud because we don’t really get that kind of exposure,” says Disha, now 36.
Fuelled by an ambition to help dwarves across India discover their own potential and provide them with opportunities to live a more dignified life, Disha and Mark, drawing inspiration from the American organisation, Little People of America, started a movement called Little People of India three years ago. The group today comprises 250 dwarves from across the country, of which, Disha estimates, around 40 members play some sport depending on their physical capabilities.
“When you say ‘dwarf’, people tend to tease about it, so we want to bring others out and make them realise they can do something,” says Mark, who believes the sympathy and compassion people tend to usually have for those with other disabilities is lacking when it comes to dwarves.
A silver medallist in both discus throw and shot put at the 2017 World Dwarf Games, Mark has also excelled in badminton having once climbed as high as No. 3 in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles BWF para badminton rankings in the SS6 category.
His vast international experience has seen him take on the dual role of player and coach, since, as Disha points out, “there is no real defined coach for dwarfs”.
“The sad part is every time we go to a court, we don’t really get players like us who can play with us, so generally the courts are not available. All the able bodied players are playing and we can’t match that,” says Disha.
Having acquired membership at Bandra Gymkhana in 2013 thanks to his East Indian background and sporting accomplishments, Mark trains Disha, her husband Mitesh Thakkar, Ruhi and Siddhesh Shirke at the venue every Sunday. The Gymkhana’s management has generously opened its doors for the dwarves to practise free of charge, something the 37-year-old ‘Bandra boy’ Mark is grateful for, as the quintet prepares to compete in the 4th National Para Badminton Championship which takes place from December 24-26 in Bhubaneswar featuring 504 participants from 25 states.
There is then the bigger goal of the World Dwarf Games which is slated to be held next year but could be postponed to 2023 due to the pandemic. It’s a stage where both Mark and Ruhi, who won gold in powerlifting in the 2013 edition, have enjoyed success.
Their achievements would prove instrumental in securing government employment as district sports officers, jobs they had to endure a frustrating four-year wait for.
“We are trying to promote around 50 people for the World Dwarf Games, which is the biggest thing for us,” says Mark.
The way Disha looks at it, if she, who “never even played sport in school”, could go on to compete and win medals at a national championship, “anybody can”.
“I tell people, ‘stop telling yourself, you are different, you are disabled, because the possibilities are endless, it’s just you have not explored them’,” she says.
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