16-year-old golfer Diksha Dagar with hearing disability wins silver at Deaflympics
This Indian girl let her talent be heard loud and clear at the Deaflympics in Turkey recently. Meet Diksha Dagar, the silver medallist in the individual women's golf competition. Diksha has been using hearing aids since was six.
The 16-year-old emerged the runner-up in a field of 46 players who took part in the golf competition.
This was the first time golf had been introduced in the Deaflympics.
Talking to Indian Express about her performance, Diksha said,
"It seems it was not my day. I gave everything but luck was not on my side but I’m happy that I could win the silver."
Diksha was introduced to golf by her father Col. Narinder Dagar and it didn't take her long to clinch the junior's number 1 title in the country in the amateur ranks.
Her brother Yogesh Dagar, who also has a hearing disability since birth, participated in the competitions but couldn't not qualify for the Deaflympics.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Diksha said,
"I have been learning golf since the age of six. I love to play the sport, but no one was ready to provide coaching to me. So, my dad became my coach and my strength. It wasn’t easy, my father also had a job to take care of, and I could not have played alone, so he coached my brother, too. Being differently-abled, I hardly had any friends. Besides my family, golf is my life."
She took part in eight tournaments at the national level winning four of them and ending up second in the other two. She also participated in four international tournaments including the World Ladies Amateur Golf Championship. Diksha's achievements fetched her a berth in the national team for Usha All India Amateur Golf Championship, which is turning 100 this year.
Diksha is also the only under-18 Indian player who figures in the top 500 global rankings.
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