Palak Kour Bijral: A spirited young gymnast representing India on International platforms

Passion my friend, it takes you to places & it indeed did for this young & zestful girl named Palak Kour Bijral. Hailing from Jammu & Kashmir in India, a place which is known as heaven on earth, Palak, on the other hand, proved why it is heaven on earth for many other reasons including the kind of talents the picturesque union territory of India produces.

Palak, a resident of Jammu & Kashmir, is an international Rhythmic Gymnast & has till now represented India on many global platforms. Talking about her fascinating journey & from where it all got started for her, she was only 6 when her journey towards gymnastics commenced. Slowly & gradually with gaining more training & exposure at the age of 8 Palak participated in her first Artistic Gymnastics competition & between the years 2005-2006 she even ministered 3 artistic gymnastics competitions before starting her career in Rhythmic Gymnastics competition in 2007 when she was all of only 11 years of age. This was the start of her journey from being an Artistic Gymnast to a Rhythmic Gymnast.

To further excel her talents in rhythmic gymnastics, Palak was soon sent to a 45-day summer coaching camp in Bangkok, Thailand at the Jintana Rhythmic Gymnastics Club. Getting trained under the guidance of the President of JRC Club Mrs Kusumarn Prasertsri, her training sessions would last for 9-10 hours & consist of a 6-day/week of rigorous training. What was commendable about the camp was the fact that for each element they provided individual coaches & extraordinary apparatuses like Rope, Hoop, Ball, Clubs and Ribbon.

After getting meticulous training at the camp & returning to India, Palak got her first opportunity as a Rhythmic Gymnast at the national championship held at Jodhpur, Rajasthan in 2007. And, this also made her win 3 gold medals & 1 silver medal in the under 12 sub-junior group category.

But, life changed for Palak when she received an opportunity which can be termed as a big break for her. While she was just 12 years of age, she got her first international opportunity in 2008 & represent India at the 4th Children of Asia International games held at Yakutsk, Mirny, Neryungri (Russia). Palak was the only player from her state selected by the Federation of India. Palak recalls the moment at the IG International Airport, Delhi where she wore the Indian blazer & calls it the most surreal moment she ever experienced in life as it was a proud moment for her & she realised the very moment that this is what her purpose in life is, to give all her efforts for her country.

After reaching the 4th Children of Asia International games at Yakutsk, Palak admits to being nervous at the beginning but credits her confidence to her constant guidance & coach Mrs Krupali Patel Singh (also Team India’s coach). At the competition, Palak confidently performed all her routines like Freehand, Rope, Hoop and Ball. Although, she did not get selected for the victory podium, that did not lower her confidence as the audiences there loved her performance & applauded her with throwing toys at her post her performance which is considered as a big deal in the Rhythmic gymnastics world. Her performance was loved so much so that her photographs appeared in Russia’s local newspapers.

This is a story of great vigour & dedication, starting at a young age Palak turned the tables for her & represented India even later at many international platforms. Talents like Palak are to be celebrated each day for everyone to know & get inspiration from. Great going Palak.

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