<p>India's Manasi Joshi lost her leg in a horrific road accident, but found her calling -- and international recognition -- on the badminton court.</p>.<p>Now the inspirational world champion, who has featured on the cover of Time magazine and has had a Barbie doll created in her image, is targeting Paralympic gold when the sport debuts in Tokyo next year.</p>.<p>Eight years ago, she was a 23-year-old software engineer riding her scooter to work in Mumbai when a truck smashed into her, crushing her left leg and breaking both arms.</p>.<p>Joshi's severely injured leg was amputated by doctors and she faced months of rehabilitation to learn to walk again.</p>.<p>But the accident could not damage her spirit and the young woman was determined to build her strength by playing her favourite sport, badminton.</p>.<p>"It has been a journey about learning and accepting different things," Joshi, now 31, told AFP in a phone interview from her home in the western city of Ahmedabad.</p>.<p>"Working hard on things that looked hard but are a new normal now. So I have come a long way."</p>.<p>Fitted with a prosthetic leg three months after the accident, she returned to the court to pursue her passion.</p>.<p>She started playing badminton at six years old and used skills honed through success in school, college and office competitions to find her winning edge again.</p>.<p>Five months after putting on the artificial limb, Joshi won her first gold in an office tournament against able-bodied players.</p>.<p>"I used more of my mind. Made people run, made sure that wherever I put the shuttle they end up giving it to my hand so that I could finish the point," she said.</p>.<p>"It was a turning point after my injury and the win certainly boosted my confidence."</p>.<p>Emboldened, she trained harder with the support of her family and eventually quit software engineering to play badminton full-time in 2016.</p>.<p>Two years later, she joined national coach Pullela Gopichand's academy in Hyderabad, and became a member of India's national para-badminton squad.</p>.<p>Last year, Joshi won singles gold at the para-badminton world championships -- making 2019 a seminal year for India's female badminton players with P.V. Sindhu also victorious as world champion.</p>.<p>Time magazine featured Joshi on the cover of their Asia edition this month as one of eight global "next generation" leaders.</p>.<p>The makers of America's famous Barbie doll celebrated the achievements of Joshi on the International Day of Girl Child on October 11 with a Barbie modelled on her.</p>.<p>"I feel honoured to be a part of all this. And I think this will inspire people and they will believe that everything is possible," Joshi said, adding that there was growing acknowledgement of the achievements of differently-abled athletes.</p>.<p>"The whole narrative is changing."</p>.<p>A new challenge now awaits Joshi with the coronavirus-delayed Paralympics in Japan next year in the mixed doubles and women's doubles field, as no singles events will be played.</p>.<p>She is training six days a week, sometimes twice a day, focusing on boosting her strength and stamina.</p>.<p>With her every step of the way in her quest for qualification will be her family, notably her brother and coach Kunjan Joshi.</p>.<p>"These are the people who I see working hard to change the whole script (of my life) and making sure that I give my 100 percent," she said.</p>
<p>India's Manasi Joshi lost her leg in a horrific road accident, but found her calling -- and international recognition -- on the badminton court.</p>.<p>Now the inspirational world champion, who has featured on the cover of Time magazine and has had a Barbie doll created in her image, is targeting Paralympic gold when the sport debuts in Tokyo next year.</p>.<p>Eight years ago, she was a 23-year-old software engineer riding her scooter to work in Mumbai when a truck smashed into her, crushing her left leg and breaking both arms.</p>.<p>Joshi's severely injured leg was amputated by doctors and she faced months of rehabilitation to learn to walk again.</p>.<p>But the accident could not damage her spirit and the young woman was determined to build her strength by playing her favourite sport, badminton.</p>.<p>"It has been a journey about learning and accepting different things," Joshi, now 31, told AFP in a phone interview from her home in the western city of Ahmedabad.</p>.<p>"Working hard on things that looked hard but are a new normal now. So I have come a long way."</p>.<p>Fitted with a prosthetic leg three months after the accident, she returned to the court to pursue her passion.</p>.<p>She started playing badminton at six years old and used skills honed through success in school, college and office competitions to find her winning edge again.</p>.<p>Five months after putting on the artificial limb, Joshi won her first gold in an office tournament against able-bodied players.</p>.<p>"I used more of my mind. Made people run, made sure that wherever I put the shuttle they end up giving it to my hand so that I could finish the point," she said.</p>.<p>"It was a turning point after my injury and the win certainly boosted my confidence."</p>.<p>Emboldened, she trained harder with the support of her family and eventually quit software engineering to play badminton full-time in 2016.</p>.<p>Two years later, she joined national coach Pullela Gopichand's academy in Hyderabad, and became a member of India's national para-badminton squad.</p>.<p>Last year, Joshi won singles gold at the para-badminton world championships -- making 2019 a seminal year for India's female badminton players with P.V. Sindhu also victorious as world champion.</p>.<p>Time magazine featured Joshi on the cover of their Asia edition this month as one of eight global "next generation" leaders.</p>.<p>The makers of America's famous Barbie doll celebrated the achievements of Joshi on the International Day of Girl Child on October 11 with a Barbie modelled on her.</p>.<p>"I feel honoured to be a part of all this. And I think this will inspire people and they will believe that everything is possible," Joshi said, adding that there was growing acknowledgement of the achievements of differently-abled athletes.</p>.<p>"The whole narrative is changing."</p>.<p>A new challenge now awaits Joshi with the coronavirus-delayed Paralympics in Japan next year in the mixed doubles and women's doubles field, as no singles events will be played.</p>.<p>She is training six days a week, sometimes twice a day, focusing on boosting her strength and stamina.</p>.<p>With her every step of the way in her quest for qualification will be her family, notably her brother and coach Kunjan Joshi.</p>.<p>"These are the people who I see working hard to change the whole script (of my life) and making sure that I give my 100 percent," she said.</p>