Pakistani squash player finds voice through sport
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Thana Bahadar of Pakistan communicates through sign language and lip reading while competing in squash. Born deaf and mute like her younger siblings, Thana struggled to express herself until taking up the sport. She recently participated in the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, losing in the round of 32 to Iranian player Najma Bushra, but her participation itself was a major achievement.
Thana began playing squash at age ten under the guidance of Pakistani squash legend Qamar Zaman.
Her father, Sher Bahadar, who runs a printing company in Peshawar, sold two of his printing machines this year to fund Thana’s international travel. This support caused his company’s profits to decrease by 60 percent, a sacrifice he willingly made. A foundation based in Karachi provides Thana with 4 million Pakistani Rupees (approximately $14,452) annually, but her father says this amount is insufficient to cover crucial training periods in China and Malaysia.
Despite limited government and private sponsorship, possibly because her inability to speak limits her advertising potential. Sher Bahadar believes squash has fundamentally changed Thana’s life, giving her confidence and opening doors the family never imagined.
