Defying all odds, young table tennis champion makes Ludhiana proud

At the age of six, doctors declared that Aishwin Kaur wouldn’t live long due to a rare genetic disorder, metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), which affects the nervous system.

However, the 18-year-old from Ludhiana has not only defied these odds but has also brought immense pride to the city by winning a gold medal in the women’s singles category at the National Deaf Senior, Junior and Sub-Junior Sports Championship held in Ahmedabad from March 20 to 24. Aishwin defeated West Bengal’s Megha 4-2 in the final match.

Her parents, Bikramjit Singh and Pritpal Kaur, shared their immense pride, saying, “Our daughter is a real fighter. At the age of six, she was diagnosed with MLD and doctors said she wouldn’t survive long. But she defied all odds with sheer willpower and determination. She has triumphed not only in life but also in table tennis, a sport she truly loves.”

Recalling Aishwin’s journey and her passion for table tennis, her father Bikramjit Singh said, “It was on her 12th birthday that I gifted her a table tennis kit. I wanted her to engage in a sport to channelise her energy in a positive direction. Since then, there’s been no looking back, and she’s excelled in her sport.”

Despite the challenges, Aishwin’s journey in sports was far from easy.

Her parents explained, “In the beginning, she trained in Ludhiana, but the quality of training here wasn’t satisfactory. Aishwin was serious about her sport, so we enrolled her in an academy in Gurugram, which offered better facilities and a hostel. Here, her talent truly blossomed. She is the only deaf player among more than 100 athletes receiving training at the academy and she is treated just like the other students—without any special treatment.”

In addition to her recent gold medal, Aishwin has an impressive list of accomplishments.

She won a silver medal in the Asia Pacific Deaf Games (Team Category) in Malaysia in December 2024, a bronze medal in the Asia Pacific Deaf Games (Women’s Doubles) in Malaysia in December 2024 and a silver medal in the World Deaf Table Tennis Championship (Team Category) in Taiwan in July 2023. She also earned bronze medals in the World Youth Deaf Table Tennis Championship in both the individual and doubles categories in Taiwan in July 2023.

Aishwin’s achievements don’t end there. She had the honour of being the Indian flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 4th World Deaf Table Tennis Championship in Chinese Taipei.

She was also the national champion in deaf youth table tennis in 2023, the district champion of Ludhiana (general category) and a silver medallist in the Punjab State Table Tennis Rankings (general category) in 2023. Her inspiring story is a testament to her resilience and determination to succeed, overcoming every obstacle that life threw her way.