Wheels of Change: Meet Garima Joshi, Marathon Winner on Wheelchair

Watch: She runs on her wheelchair and dreams of winning an Olympic medal for India.

(Photo: Kamran Akhtar/The Quint)

Garima and her family are fighting all the hurdles coming their way.

Producer: Abhay Singh

Camera: Nitin Chopra

Video Editor: Kunal Mehra

Garima Joshi, an athlete from Uttarakhand dreamt of winning an Olympic medal for the country. But the 21-year-old athlete met with an accident in Udipi, where she had gone for a competition. She was hit by a car and suffered serious spine injury which placed her on a wheelchair.

The wheelchair carried her and her dreams forward. Garima now plans to participate in para games and win medals for India.

“So what if I can’t run? I will prepare for wheelchair games and participate in the Paralympics.”

Garima Joshi, Athlete.

Garima’s father, Puran Singh told The Quint that he and his entire family were shaken up after the accident but Garima stayed strong as ever. “She told us that she is perfectly fine. She is winning medals with the wheelchair, I don’t see any change in her,” he said.

“We lost hope but my daughter did not give up.”

Puran Singh, Garima’s father.

Garima’s family belongs to a low income group and her father had taken loans from three banks, mortgaged their house and even lost his job to arrange money for the treatment. Around the time of accident, her mother was diagnosed with cancer but the family supported each other to fight the odds. Her brother dropped out of college and now works as domestic help to provide for the family.

Never-give-up attitude is Garima's biggest strength.

“I want to prove myself. Being pessimistic and only thinking negative in life isn’t going to get you anything, it will only harm your mind and body.”

Garima Joshi, Athlete.