National drishti divyangjan empowerment institute

National Drishti Divyangjan Empowerment Institute: For 20-year-old para-athlete Saurabh Sharma, the upcoming Adani Ahmedabad Marathon represents more than just a race; it symbolises his progress in sport and personal growth. A visually impaired runner from Himachal Pradesh, Saurabh has competed on prominent para-athletics platforms both nationally and internationally. Participating in the Ahmedabad Marathon will be a significant new milestone in his inspiring journey.

Born with partial blindness, Saurabh started his sporting career at the National Drishti Divyangjan Empowerment Institute in Dehradun, where coach Naresh Singh Nayal guided him. Though initially interested in football and cricket, it was his coach who introduced him to running, a change that would ultimately shape his athletic path career.

“In 2021, I competed in my first Para Nationals in Bengaluru and finished among the top five. The next year, I won my first medal in the 5000m in Odisha. In 2024, I travelled to Switzerland for my first international event and won two gold medals there. That’s when I realised how far this journey could go,” said the 20-year-old, who claimed two gold medals at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2024 in Switzerland.