“I feel strength in water. Swimming gives me a rare optimism to keep going on”, says Para swimmer, Mohammad Shams Aalam, a man born with extra talent. Mohammad Shams Aalam Sheikh is the first Para-Swimmer from Bihar to represent India at the Para-Asian Games, Jakarta, Indonesia in 2018. Shams has been recently  listed under Asia’s 300 influential people.

Life has changed for Aalam since then. There are more visitors at his doorstep than ever before now. He feels happy with his recognition the world is witnessing. He appreciates his coaches, fans and family members for supporting him in his journey to get this recognition. He says, “ How can I sit back and relax when I am the hope of a million people.” Aalam, a Black Belt with over 50 medals, took to paralympic swimming and in December 2014, won 4 gold medals and the title of “Best Swimmer” in a championship held in Indore. He got selected for the Indian contingent for the 2018 Asian Para Games for 50 metre and 100 metre Butterfly and Freestyle categories. He won Bronze at the 2016 para swimming championship held in Gatineau.

He has successfully completed two km swimming in Ganga river at Patna law college ghat Mishrilal Memorial winter swimming competition 2019 organised by Bihar swimming association. Despite being best known for holding the record for the longest open sea swim by a paraplegic person, Shams always remained grounded with kindness and modesty. With humility, and humbleness, he says , “ I feel like I still have to conquer the sea and ocean.” Currently, Aalam’s life has taken a break due to the imposition of lockdown. He is managing his youtube channel as well as his website to motivate more people towards fitness. He sometimes feels frustrated with the recent project being postponed: Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympics. But with a great sense of maturity he feels things happen for a good cause. He says, “I am sure we will bounce back stronger and better. The postponement of Paralympics is in the favour of the betterment of people around the world”.

When asked about the state of preparation for 2020 Summer Paralympics, Mr. Aalam’s face changed its colour like a chameleon does. With a low tone, he said, “Preparation was good. I was about to participate in IWAS World games to achieve the qualification marks, however it got postponed due to a pandemic situation”. He takes it in his stride, however, leaving his audience with an important message to follow all the norms of physical distancing.

Aalam was born in a Muslim family in Rathos village of Madhubani district of Bihar. His father Mohammad Nasir and mother Shakeela Khatoon have always been supportive throughout his journey. His brother considers him as a role model. Swimming came naturally to him: his village often got flooded during the monsoons, and all its inhabitants, therefore, knew how to swim. However, he never thought of it as a professional career. He had another passion as a child—karate. Shakeela Khatoon, his mother, recalls an incident involving her son when he was just two-years-old. She said, “He used to swim in the pond in front of the house in the village, and people would stand as spectators on the edge of the pond to watch him. They would applaud him each time and sometimes were awestruck watching a little child crossing the pond so passionately.”

Trained in the Shito Ryu style of karate, Aalam went on to participate in several karate competitions at the district, state and national level, receiving his black belt in 2008. “I won over 50 medals,” he tells me. But destiny has its own course: at the age of 24, Aalam was diagnosed with a benign tumour. An operation to remove it went wrong, immobilising his lower body and confining him to a wheelchair. So, in 2010, after the unsuccessful surgery, he had to change his area of interest. He takes it in his stride, however, only remarking. “Sometimes, God makes better choices for us than we could have ever made for ourselves. I am content with whatever is, is right.”

Aalam gives the credit of his achievements to his mentors, Mr Raja Ram Ghag, Satyaprakash Tiwari, and Amol Boriwale who motivated him to take up swimming to achieve success in life. Indeed, Aalam has lived up to his name— with the achievements in a short period of time like the rays of the sun speeding towards the earth. Thus, lighting up the name of the city. His mother with tears of happiness said, “I always knew my son would fly in true colours. He has not only made me proud but also our motherland.”

People with disabilities are seen as a burden, and hence are segregated from the society. Thus, they are not considered as efficient as others in the work environment. Disabilities, in short, have a rippled effect on the person and the family. Though Aalam had to face many issues like age, education, marriage, dignity, unemployment, yet his positive attitude does not isolate him. He says, “Disability is in the mindset and not in the body. It is truly said when God takes something from us, he renders us with more.” Mr. Aalam is blessed with a good support system, with which he can rely at any point of time. He says, “I have a wonderful support system, with good team members, coaches, family and relatives. They have been like a catalyst always supporting me in my work.”

With hope that the pandemic will be gone, Aalam is preparing for the summer paralympics which will be scheduled to happen on August 24, 2021. With the humiliations from the classmates, the young soul never gave up. It is like a rebirth— good and  better  for him just because of his amazing family members, coaches and my wellwishers. According to him, the government should open training centres which are free of cost for the disabled people. disable persons. They should conduct many webinars, small programs to boost the morale of the participants. Many people cannot afford such training so the government should look into this matter.

All he believes is that a person should not lose hope. He should have full confidence in him and never get affected with what others say. He should work hard with honesty and dedication. One should do a lot of practice, exercise, and meditation for inner peace and focus as for any game, the focus is indeed important. Aalam says, “ If I can do it , anyone can”.

Written By: Sumaila Zaman
Edited By: Team Shams Aalam