Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 1: Aarav Agarwal, a Class X student of La Martiniere Boys, Kolkata has won two medals at the First Para National Rowing Championship. Aarav was representing West Bengal and he won a gold medal in under-23 PR3 Rowing and a bronze medal in the open-age Category PR3 Indoor Rowing. He also won Gold at the Paris Para Regatta earlier this year.
It is an amazing feat achieved by young Aarav, not only for the State but for the country too. Aarav’s journey is inspiring to many, as it shows resilience, commitment and last but not the least hard work. When Aarav was 6 years old he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and he was paralysed. He did recover through hard work and time but he still lives with a permanent foot drop. Aarav did not stop, he continued and chose a career in rowing. He has become one of the promising young para rowers in India. He trains at Bengal Rowing Club with the support of the West Bengal Rowing Association.
Speaking about his daily routine, Aarav says, “I start my day around 4:30 AM. I leave for Bengal Rowing Club around 5:30 AM and start my training with stretching and mobility exercises.”
He also added, “Then I row 8 kilometres on the water, and after that a short session on the rowing ergometer. After completing recovery exercises and stretching I get ready and go to school from the club. After school, I go directly to the gym for strength and conditioning.”
It is a demanding routine. He enjoys every part of it because with each session he comes closer to his goals. Balancing his time between studies and rowing is tough. But Aarav does it with discipline.
Aarav explains, “Since I train early in the morning and go to the gym right after school, I make the best use of my time during the day.”
Despite all the success Aarav has experienced, he considers himself lucky to study in La Martiniere for Boys, Kolkata. The school has been supportive of his sporting journey. Aarav expresses gratitude to his class teacher, Ms S. M. Banerjee, and his Principal, Mr S. Menezes. They have always uplifted him to achieve excellence in both academics and sports. He is thankful towards his parents, teachers, and coaches for the support he has received.
He shared his success mantra, “With proper planning, commitment, and consistency, it is possible to excel in every field.”
Aarav aims to grow not only as an athlete but also as an individual, he wants to represent India at the highest level in rowing and compete in the biggest of international events, while remaining focused on education.
He wants to raise awareness about para sports in India. Especially in para rowing.
“I want to reach a stage where I can inspire younger athletes from my school and city. I want to inspire athletes to pursue sports seriously alongside their studies. With the discipline I am developing, I believe I can achieve success in both my sporting and professional journey,” said Aarav.
Aarav has another forte apart from rowing, he hosts The Able Mic. A podcast where he interviews para athletes and changemakers. The message of that podcast is that disability should never limit dreams.
His journey from overcoming GBS to winning medals on national and international stages continues to inspire young athletes across the country.
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