Ashok Malik, from the small village of Mirzapur Kheri in Haryana, grew up with a dream that seemed impossible. At just three years old, a high fever left him paralysed from the waist down.

But Ashok is one to find strength in every setback. “There was nothing I could do with my lower body, but I wanted to build my upper body,” he said.

Gradually, Ashok found his passion for powerlifting and inspiration in Bollywood celebrities like Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt.

This led Ashok to join a gym, but he often became a subject of laughter. However, Ashok pushed through the ridicule and soon began lifting heavier weights than his able-bodied peers.

In 2018, tragedy struck. During the Para Asian Games in Indonesia, Ashok’s arm was severely injured, with his radius and ulna bones protruding through his skin.

Doctors declared his powerlifting career over, but Ashok’s unwavering spirit and determination led him back to the bench after his recovery. “Doctors said I wouldn’t even lift a kilo, but I couldn’t let that define me,” Ashok shared.

Two months before the injury, Ashok had lost his father. A broken heart, a traumatic injury, and financial burdens weighed him down, but his mother and coaches became the anchors that kept him afloat.

Under coaches J P Singh and Tanvir Logani, Ashok made a stunning comeback in 2022, winning gold at the Asia-Oceania Para Powerlifting Championships.

His victory streak had just begun. In 2023, Ashok earned bronze at the Asian Para Games and finished seventh at the World Championships in Dubai, lifting 190 kg.

A nine-time national gold medallist, Ashok’s career-defining moment came in 2024 when he secured a silver medal at the Para Powerlifting World Cup in Egypt, lifting an impressive 196 kg.

This victory secured his place in the 65 kg category for the Paris 2024 Paralympics. “The Paralympics is every athlete’s dream, and I’m determined to make my country proud,” Ashok said.

Today, as Ashok (35) prepares for his moment on the world stage, he is driven by the promise he made to his mother: “I’ll return with gold this time.”