AI Generated Summary
- In the 2024–25 season, Gill claimed a medal in the 100 kg category at the All India Inter-University Judo Championship, a result that opened the door to senior-level competition.
- Gill won a silver medal at the Junior National Championship in 2023–24, earning him a place at the senior nationals and drawing attention from coaches beyond the state.
- he stunned seasoned opponents to win gold at the Khelo India University Games in Raipur, announcing himself as a serious contender in the national circuit.
From a modest home in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district to the national judo spotlight, one young athlete’s journey is redefining what determination can achieve against the harshest odds.
In the fiercely competitive world of modern sport, success is often shaped as much by attitude as by ability. Few stories capture this truth better than that of a rising judoka emerging from the famed Shaheed Bhagat Singh JFI Judo Centre, a training hub that has long been a cradle of Indian judo excellence. The centre’s roll of honour includes more than three dozen international players who have represented the country at the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and various world championships.
The newest name aspiring to join that elite list is Rakesh Gill, a judoka whose daily life is a reminder that talent alone rarely smoothens the road to glory. Gill’s father, Goldy Gill, earns a living by travelling from village to village repairing old beds and cots. It is a trade that keeps the family afloat but barely enough to secure regular meals, let alone cover the costs of sports equipment, travel and a specialised athlete’s diet.
Yet poverty, omnipresent though it may be, has not dulled Gill’s ambition. Training relentlessly at the Gurdaspur-based centre, he has channelled hardship into motivation, adopting a mindset where quitting is never an option. That resolve has begun to pay dividends on the mat.
In the 2024–25 season, Gill claimed a medal in the 100 kg category at the All India Inter-University Judo Championship, a result that opened the door to senior-level competition. The following year marked a turning point: he stunned seasoned opponents to win gold at the Khelo India University Games in Raipur, announcing himself as a serious contender in the national circuit.
Behind this ascent stands a strong support system within the judo centre. Coach Amarjit Shastri has made it a point that Gill’s financial background never becomes a psychological burden. Senior players, especially those who are employed, routinely pool in funds to ensure Gill can participate in championships. “Poverty is a man-made barrier to human potential,” Shastri says. “Gill has crossed that barrier through sheer hard work. If you are good enough, poverty does not decide your destiny.”
Gill’s father continues his early-morning rounds, repairing cots for families who, like his own, cannot afford new furniture. “The rich buy new beds,” he says simply. “The poor call me to fix their old ones.” For the coaches, this sacrifice underscores why the young judoka is viewed as a long-term investment. Despite limited formal education and years of hardship, Shastri believes Gill’s progress is powered by a rare mix of perseverance and opportunity.
The results back that belief. Gill won a silver medal at the Junior National Championship in 2023–24, earning him a place at the senior nationals and drawing attention from coaches beyond the state. According to coach Ravi Kumar, his humility and disciplined style of play have impressed visiting experts, including Georgian coach Lasha Kizilashvili, who spent hours refining Gill’s throwing and grappling techniques during a recent training camp.
As he prepares to test these lessons in upcoming domestic competitions, expectations around the young judoka continue to rise. For now, Gill remains grounded, focused on training and fuelled by the same determination that carried him this far. His story is not just about medals won, but about how grit, discipline and collective support can turn adversity into a stepping stone towards sporting excellence.
