Phalak joshi

Khelo India Para Games: Maharashtra's Tulika Jadhao, one of the youngest participants to step onto the badminton court in the Khelo India Para Games, which kicked off on Sunday, is hoping to represent India just like her idols, Paralympians Palak Joshi and Pramod Bhagat.

On Sunday, Tulika won the women’s singles quarterfinal in the SL3 category, beating Poornima Pandey of Uttar Pradesh 21-6, 21-4 in straight sets in the Khelo India Para Games at the iconic IG Stadium here.

Tulika, a 15-year-old from Buldana, Maharashtra, was born with cerebral palsy, a congenital disorder affecting movement, muscle tone and posture. However, her ailment doesn’t seem to come in the way of the chirpy teenager dreaming of representing India one day.