Kiren Rijiju promises to back Indian wheelchair tennis player for 2020 Tokyo Paralympics

Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju responded to a tweet about wheelchair tennis player Madhusudan H's struggle to reach 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. He wished the wheelchair tennis player good luck and also promised to back him for his future endeavours. The 24-year-old tennis player has set his sights on winning a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

Ranked 536th in the world, the differently-abled tennis player is currently preparing for an ITF tournament to be held in Australia between September 19 and 22. Madhusudhan lost his legs in 2008. In an interview to the New Indian Express, the 24-year-old recalled the accident which happened on May 30, 2008.

He was travelling to his hometown Gauribidanur by train when he fell off from the train while sitting near the doorway of the compartment. The tennis player went on to say that he was immediately rushed to the Yelahanka Railway Hospital and then to the Yelahanka Government Hospital but all the efforts went in vain.

Finally, he was asked to go to Victoria Hospital but by then it was too late as his legs were already infected and had to be amputated at the upper thigh.

"It was May 30. I was taken to the Yelahanka Railway Hospital, but they couldn't do anything about it and I was moved to the Yelahanka Government Hospital. From there, I was asked to go to Victoria Hospital. But by then, my legs were infected and had to be amputated at the upper thigh. I just couldn't believe it," Madhusudhan told the New Indian Express.

When this story came to the notice of Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju through the medium of Twitter, he immediately responded and promised to back the tennis player in fulfilling his dreams of winning the gold in Tokyo.

Madhusudhan who works in a bank other than playing tennis participated in the International Tennis Federation-Wheelchair Tennis Championship which was held in Sweden. He played against Olympic gold medallists Petter Edstrom and Peter Vikstorm and won three out of five matches in the event.