Mysuru: For Neelamma Shivappa Bagewadi and Sridhar, both 45, arm wrestling has transformed their lives, bringing medals, confidence and a sense of purpose.Neelamma, from Sirsangi village in Saudathi taluk of Belagavi district, has been wheelchair-bound since childhood and spent years largely confined to her village, where she lives with her sister and nephew. Her life changed after she learnt about arm wrestling competitions and decided to participate.She is taking part in Dasara for the second time. On her debut last year, she won gold and has since won a medal in every competition she has entered. Early this year, she competed in Gujarat and returned with a medal, an experience she says refreshed and re-energised her.In less than a year, Neelamma has collected multiple medals. She says this is her fourth competition.Sridhar, from Bommasandra village in Anekal taluk, Bengaluru, says arm wrestling changed his life completely. Polio-affected, he says his lower body is weak but his arms are strong, helping him take the sport seriously.Over six years, he has won many medals, most of them gold, at events in Delhi, Pune, Nagpur, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Odisha and Hyderabad.Sridhar says sport gives people opportunities to travel, meet others and interact confidently. Competing also made him realise that many people face greater struggles, keeping him motivated each day. He works at a panchayat office in Bengaluru and is married with two school-going children.Both have a message for others: Don’t feel upset about your body’s condition; explore what you can do and pursue it.
