Gauri’s mother Sneha Gadgil, says, “Gauri was taught swimming and Bharat Natyam to increase her concentration, co-ordination and balance which had been a problem with her. So with swimming she now speaks coherently, is a more confident child and her looks have also changed considerably.”

Sneha says that as soon as we registered for the Olympics, somewhere Gauri knew she would win. “We were amazed when she came up to us and told us: You just watch how I win. Even on the day of the competition, Gauri said I will cry a lot if I don’t win.”

After she participated in the 25 metres butterfly stroke when Gauri realised that she had finished second, she was so happy that she ran to her mother and started crying. When she was told by her coach that she had won, she said I know I have won and I am crying because I wanted to make my mother proud which I have done today,” shares Sneha.

It goes without saying that Gauri’s success has not come easily to her. “At first the entire family found it hard to come to terms with Gauri’s condition, but after three months or so we decided to do everything to bring up my daughter in a way that would make her independent later on. I understood from the doctors that Gauri’s brain development would be moderately slower than that of a normal child of her age and hence I was advised to talk more with Gauri, give her frequent body messages and also give her an active lifestyle to speed up her physical and  mental growth,” shares this mother. In fact, Gauri is a very independent girl now and even helps in the kitchen by cutting vegetables, making tea and buying supplies if need be.

When Gauri turned three she was enrolled in a special school and a normal school. Gauri benefited considerably from both the schools. “While the special school taught Gauri to handle and pick up things, going to the normal school made her a more aware child. Though the first year was very good for Gauri, in the second year she was being neglected, teased and was not accepted. Often she would return home teary-eyed and ask me: What’s wrong with me? Am I so bad that people should make fun of and tease me? This hurt us a lot and we later decided to discontinue the normal school for her,” states Sneha.

That was when the Gadgils enrolled Gauri into Seva Sadan Dilasa Kendra, a school which is specially run for children with Down’s syndrome. Gauri was very happy with this change as she was accepted with open arms in this school. She showed great academic improvement and soon forgot about those difficult days.

After winning several state and national swimming championships and also bagging the special Olympics, Gauri has set a new goal for herself. She is preparing for Class X exams from the open school and also plans to participate in a 5 kms swimming competition at Gateway of India. For this Gauri swims 3 ½ kms from six in the morning everyday at Deccan Gymkhana, Pune.

We are sure with such positive attitude, determination and hard work to back her, Gauri will definitely swim against all odds and emerge a winner in every sense.