Murlikant Petkar and other members of the Indian squad were perplexed by the accommodations made for athletes with disabilities while they were in the country to compete in the Stoke Mandeville International Games.
The amenities in London were astounding to them because they had previously exercised and played on public fields and in public swimming pools, and that too after the able-bodied had finished. “We had never seen international-standard facilities for disabled athletes before. We had only ever seen these on television before to it. In lamenting the lack of assistance for crippled sportsmen like him during his prime, Petkar adds, “That’s how I became aware of the grounds and pool for Para athletes, nice wheelchairs, etc.”
In those days, says Petkar, “there wasn’t much encouragement and support for the disabled in the country.” He says this without showing any discontent or sorrow, only a hint of resignation because society did not give the needs of the disabled any consideration in the 1960s and 1970s.
Second Innings
Murlikant Petkar, who was born on November 1st in Peth Islampur in the Maharashtra district of Sangli, had two life-changing events: the first was the 1965 India-Pakistan conflict, and the second was winning the gold medal at the Paralympics in Heidelberg.
After taking home a medal at the 1964 International Services Sports Meet in Tokyo, Japan, Petkar, a soldier of the artisan level in the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME), was feeling good in 1965. As a reward for his outstanding performance, upon his return to his post in Secunderabad, his commandant set up a trip for him to visit Jammu and Kashmir.
However, Petkar’s life was turned upside down when the army camp he was visiting was attacked from the air, leaving him permanently paralyzed. He quickly gained popularity in competitions and was chosen to represent India abroad. That opened the door for the second act of his life, which completely changed him.
Support from the Indian Captain
Vijay Merchant, a former cricket captain of India, was like a godsend to Petkar since he paid for his travel to Germany. My tickets were paid for by an NGO that Vijay Merchant oversaw that helped persons with impairments. In the preliminary round of the swimming competition at the 1972 Paralympic Games, Petkar broke a world mark.
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