The ping pong magic at work

Wheelchair user Ramgopal D. from Chennai on why it is never too late to take up competitive table tennis

In 2004, when Chennai-based Shakthi Foundation roped in Sachin Tendulkar for a video to promote the need for ramps in all public places, little did Ramgopal D. realise that it would lead him to a door of opportunities in para table tennis.

The short film conceived by Mani Ratnam and directed by Deepak Bhojraj has A.R. Rahman lending music and Sabu Cyril as art director. It was shot at the Nungambakkam Tennis Club, with a small team of wheelchair users from Laser Soft Infosystems Limited (the company was one of the early movers in the industry to hire the physically challenged) as supporting actors, Ramgopal being one of them.

Boniface Prabhu, a national para lawn tennis player, was cast as the main actor in the video where he plays against an able-bodied player. “I met him during the shoot and that is when I came to know that there are organised tournaments for wheelchair users,” recalls Ramgopal.

The simple, naive Ramgopal, who was then in his late-20s, was new to the city, having faced a lot of rejections from recruiters as he was wheelchair dependent and companies did not have the infrastructure to welcome the differently abled.

In all these years, Ramgopal has not allowed his disability to define him. His journey is inspiring as he made his debut in competitive paralympics in his mid-40s, managing a busy career as a senior project manager.

Today, he is a promising para table tennis player from the city, who is claarly impressive dealing with challenges on the ping pong court. In the recently-concluded National Open Rotary Para Table Tennis Tournament he came third in class IV category.

For the first time, the 49-year-old software professional also officiated as judge.