Para Olympian, Simran Sharma's Mother-In-Law Allowed Her To Wear Shorts, Despite People Taunting Her

It is always said, behind a successful man is a woman. Women are seen standing behind, giving strength and motivation. But, if we reverse this, it will become the story of the Olympian, Simran Sharma. When Simran Sharma was standing on the podium at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games with a bronze medal around her neck, it was not just her personal victory but it was the result of years of hard work, and the strong support of her husband, Gajendra Singh and her in-laws. 

Simran’s journey was not easy. She was born with visual impairment and faced several other challenges living in Burari, Delhi. Her life changed when she met Gajendra (an army soldier and fellow athlete), who not only became her partner for life, but also was her coach and the biggest motivation. 

Simran Sharma's early struggles

Simran was born prematurely at six and a half months with visual impairment. Since then her life was a continuous battle. Her visual impairment made her an easy target for bullying and mocking, throughout her schooling. But, deep inside, she carried a lot of determination to prove to everyone that she is more than just this. This determination got the perfect push when she met the man of her life, Gajendra Singh. 

When everybody else hesitated to train her, Gajendra came into the picture and started training her. He arranged late-night training access, coaching her personally and making sure nothing, not even his own busy schedule, came in between her progress.

No slowing down for Simran Sharma after marriage

When Simran and Gajendra decided to marry, their families were a little hesitant and even resisted initially as they came from different cultural backgrounds. Even after marriage, family pressure and societal expectations came along. But they were very clear with their focus, marriage was not the end of Simran’s journey, in fact it was the beginning of a stronger training. Simran recalled her wedding days with a laugh, saying:

“Shaadi ke agle din utha ke bola chalo taiyaar ho jaao, gym jaana hai” 

She was still wearing mehendi, but she put on her tracksuit, went to the gym and came back sweaty, surprising the guests waiting for the bride. While others were preparing for post-wedding rituals like muh dikhai, Simran was busy lifting weights, staying committed to her training plan.

Simran Sharma on her mother-in-law being criticised

In an interview with BBC, Simran mentioned that people targeted her mother-in-law and started scolding her for supporting Simran. They accused Simran’s mother-in-law for 'allowing' her to wear shorts and t-shirt, unlike the regular newlyweds. Her mother-in-law was accused by their neighbours of spoiling society by giving unnecessary freedom to her daughter-in-law. Many people asked Simran’s mother-in-law to make Simran cover her face with a ghoonghat. But it was her mother-in-law’s response that won Simran’s heart forever and shut everyone’s mouth. Sharing her mother-in-law’s response, Simran said:

“Jab ye Olympics me jaayegi aur chote shorts pehenke daudegi to tum kya isko dekhoge nahi?”

Simran Sharma was all set to break barriers and achieve her dream

There were many who questioned Simran but Gajendra was not ready to let those traditional roles stop Simran’s training. He stood by her side when people criticised her for spending hours on the track instead of in the kitchen and for daring to dream beyond what was 'expected' of a married woman. At a time when Simran herself couldn’t imagine reaching the Olympics, it was Gajendra who confidently told her,

“Mujhe pata tum nahi kar sakti, lekin mujhe ye bhi pata hai ki mai tumse karwa doonga.”

The medals that followed Simran Sharma's hard work

Simran’s achievements speak for themselves. She won two silver medals at the 2022 Asian Para Games, three golds at the 2023 Khelo India Para Games and a gold at the World Para Athletics Championship in Japan. In 2024, she also received the prestigious Arjuna Award from the president. She has consistently broken national records in her category, setting new benchmarks for para-athletes across India. The highlight, definitely, was her bronze medal win at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, which was the dream Gajendra had seen way before she could see it for herself. 

Simran Sharma’s journey as a sprinter is more than just a medal count. With her husband’s belief, she turned every 'no' she ever heard into a reason to prove people wrong. The girl who was once visually impaired has today won a bronze medal and will continue to bring more medals home. Isn't her journey inspiring? Let us know. 

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