Para-Badminton Star hubaida Hassan Overcomes Obstacles to Reach World Top Four
Lucknow, India – Hubaida Hassan, a rising star in para-badminton, has risen to become the World No. 4 and Asia No. 3 in men’s doubles,alongside partner Prem Kumar Ale,despite facing significant challenges accessing resources and overcoming societal barriers. Hassan’s journey, originating from humble beginnings and a lack of dedicated facilities, highlights the struggles and triumphs of para-athletes in India.
Hassan’s passion for sport was ignited through informal games wiht friends, fostering a competitive spirit early in life. Discovering para sports in 2008, he initially pursued athletics but quickly realized the limitations in Lucknow, lacking both specialized training facilities and a supportive environment for aspiring para-athletes to compete at a national level.
A pivotal moment came in 2011 at a badminton tournament in Chennai, where Hassan witnessed wheelchair badminton for the frist time. He learned his classification required a sports wheelchair, a costly piece of equipment priced around Rs 40,000 at the time, with no official funding available. driven by determination,Hassan and his community launched a crowdfunding campaign,collecting contributions at a local mini stadium to purchase and modify a wheelchair for badminton.
Early training was grassroots, with Hassan guiding fellow wheelchair users, previously focused on cricket, in the fundamentals of badminton. A crucial turning point arrived with the mentorship of Gaurav Khanna, then an able-bodied referee and coach of the deaf badminton team. Khanna dedicated time before his railway job to train Hassan and his peers, a commitment Hassan credits as invaluable. Khanna is now the head coach of the Indian para-badminton team, a Dronacharya Awardee and Padma Shri recipient.
By 2012-13, equipped with a proper sports wheelchair, Hassan secured his first major victory, winning a double gold medal for Uttar Pradesh. He continues to draw inspiration from senior players and his doubles partner, Ale. At the recent Asian Para Badminton Championship, Hassan and Ale secured a bronze medal.Hassan’s path wasn’t without resistance. He recounts facing opposition from individuals who initially denied access to courts, requiring him to advocate for his right to play and undergo wheelchair inspections to ensure court preservation.He also faced skepticism from some relatives who encouraged him to prioritize academics and secure a conventional job over pursuing para sports.Despite childhood experiences of exclusion, Hassan transformed early negativity into motivation, fueled by his growing success in the sport.
To date, Hassan has earned medals in international competitions in Bahrain, Brazil, Dubai, Egypt, and Japan, and has represented India at the Asian Para Games, consistently ranking among the world’s top four in his category.
