Navdeep Singh, who suffered from dwarfism, endured not just the usual rigours of training but cruel taunts from onlookers while growing up in his village in Haryana's Panipat district.
On Saturday, having turned those taunts into his biggest triumph on sport's grandest stage, the four feet four inches tall para athlete expressed his concerns with the indignities visited upon people whose bodies don't fit the usual moulds, and demanded "same respect" for them.
The 23-year-old javelin thrower won an unparalleled gold in the F41 classification at the Paris Paralympic Games.
"Humein bhi utna darja milna chahiye, maine bhi desh ka naam roshan kiya hai (We deserve the same respect, I too have brought glory to the country," Navdeep said, flashing his gold medal in a video shared by the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).
"My aim is to educate society that we also exist in this world and nobody should make fun of us, which is often the case. We also can make our country proud.
"There were a lot of hurdles initially but I kept at it and strengthened myself, which led to good results. This is the biggest moment of my life, I feel proud to sign off with a gold medal," he added.
As the track and field competitions concluded at the Paris Games, Navdeep's golden throw in the final ensured the hallowed Stade de France echoed with the Indian national anthem.
His personal best effort of 47.32m initially placed him in second position but it was upgraded to gold after the top finisher, Iran's Sadegh Beit Sayah, was disqualified for repeatedly displaying an objectionable flag.
It was a defining moment for Navdeep who silenced all his doubters.
Born prematurely in 2000, Navdeep's struggles began from the start.
It wasn't until he was two years old that his parents realised their son had dwarfism, setting the stage for a life filled with both struggles and triumphs.
His father, Dalbir Singh, a national-level wrestler, kept motivating him and saw his son as an extension of his own aspirations.
Navdeep started his athletic journey at the age of 10, dabbling in wrestling and sprinting before finding his true calling in javelin throw after being inspired by national icon Neeraj Chopra.
"The first thing that comes to my mind is my dad (Dalbir Singh). I really miss my family now. Initially, it felt like a burden. I wondered why I couldn't enjoy life like others -- go to school and have fun.
"But he (dad) kept me motivated and on track. In this journey, I can't credit just one person. Champions are made with support, so my coach, my family, the government -- all contributed to our success, taking our medal tally beyond the expectation of 25, reaching 29 already."
Navdeep made his international debut at the Asian Youth Para Games, clinching his first gold medal and setting the stage for a remarkable career.
He continued to train tirelessly at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres in Gandhinagar and Bangalore, honing his skills and refining his technique.
At the Fazza International Championship in Dubai in 2021, he secured another gold medal.
Amid high expectations, Navdeep also faced setbacks, finishing fourth at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago and Asian Para Games last year. He finished with a bronze at the World Para Athletics Championship in 2024, and faced criticism.
"I suffered a lot, so I wanted to achieve something for my country. My event was on the last day, but I came on the August 31, so I kept preserving myself.
"I heard things like, 'He can't do this, he only performs well in India, but fails in competition'. I heard these from several quarters, but I just had to ignore all this. I just needed guidance and the right path.
"I carried all my past baggage, the training, the hard work, the criticisms. I knew I had to unleash all of this on the September 7, and I did that and won."
He also spent years away from home, training relentlessly with limited resources, often making do with basic meals and cooking alongside his roommate and friend Sumit Antil, who smashed his own record to win javelin gold in F64 category.
"It has been a struggle for six years (2017-2024). I stayed away from my home, eating whatever was available. Sumit and I used to stay together; we are good friends and roommates.
"Initially, we would eat outside but ended up with upset stomachs, so we started cooking for ourselves," Navdeep recalled.
"I started with (a throw of) 11 metres initially and now reached 47; I never thought of it. The performance was better than what I expected. I will work harder from now on and will try to win more gold medals for India," he said.
