Diksha Dagar clears all doubts and waves her way to Paris

The entire country was stunned as they witnessed a momentous occasion for Indian golf in Tokyo 2020.

Aditi Ashok’s exceptional play captivated the nation as she climbed the leaderboard in the women’s golf tournament despite being ranked 200th in the world.

When calm returned, it looked like Aditi would be the sole Indian representative for the time being. However, the golfing world had other plans.

Meet Diksha Dagar, a young prodigy who defied all expectations and qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The International Golf Federation announced this week that Ladies European Tour (LET) winner Diksha Dagar has secured her place at the Olympic Games thanks to her impressive world ranking positions in the women’s competition.

She was ranked 41st in the last Olympic Golf Ranking (OGR) during the qualifying period between June 2022 and June 2024, showing that Indian golf is on the rise.

The Paris Olympics, which will be held from August 7 to 10 at Le Golf National, the same course that hosted the 2018 Ryder Cup, will now also put this rising star in the spotlight.

A dream ignited

Diksha was born on December 14, 2000 and started playing golf at the age of seven.

Her father, Colonel Narinder Dagar, a former scratch golfer serving in the Indian Army, introduced her and her brother Yogesh to the sport.

Both siblings were born with hearing impairments, but this did not stop Diksha from pursuing her passion.

“For the left-handed player, it was difficult to find a set of clubs that she could use comfortably,” said Narinder.

“Despite these obstacles, her passion never wavered. She went to the golf course every day after school, had lunch there and came back in the evening for more,” he added.

Diksha’s determination and love for golf was evident from a young age. “I loved playing the sport but no one was willing to coach me or my brother. So my father became my coach and my strength,” she said.

“Because I had a disability, I hardly had any friends other than my family, so golf is my life,” she added.

Her journey was full of challenges, but her parents always supported her and encouraged her not to take her hearing problem seriously.

She started playing golf at an amateur level in 2012 and was known for her clean, long shots.

In November 2015, she was the lowest-ranked amateur at the Hero Women’s Indian Open on the Ladies European Tour.

Since entering the circuit in 2012, she has won several tournaments.

In 2016, she became the only Indian golfer to feature in the top 500 in the world U18 rankings. In 2017, she won her first professional event on the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour. In March 2018, she won the Singapore Ladies Amateur Open.

Diksha also recorded the best score ever by an Indian in the history of the Queen Sirikit Cup in Thailand. In June 2018, she recorded a three-under 69 to help the Indian team finish sixth in the women’s team event.

She was one of the medal winners of the Indian delegation at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics, where she won a silver medal in the women’s golf event, becoming the first Indian to win a Deaflympic medal in golf.

Diksha’s journey was not only marked by her victories, but also by the sacrifices she made. She turned down a scholarship to a top American university and chose to turn pro. “I got that feeling, I want to do more. I want to play golf at the top level,” she said.

Conquering international waters

Diksha Dagar’s journey as a professional golfer began in early 2019 and marked a turning point in her career.

Her talent soon paid off: in March 2019, she won the Investec South African Women’s Open, a prestigious tournament on the 2019 Ladies European Tour.

The victory was her first professional win and made her the youngest woman in India to win the Ladies European Tour title at the age of 18.

She achieved this by beating three-time South African champion Lee-Anne Pace by one stroke.

With this victory, she not only became the first Indian to win the title at the South African Women’s Open, but also the second Indian woman to win the title on the Ladies European Tour.

Her participation in the 2020 Ladies Scottish Open was historic as she, along with fellow Indian golfers Aditi Ashok and Tvesa Malik, became the first trio of golfers from India to compete in a single event on the Ladies European Tour.

Diksha Dagar’s winning streak continued in 2021.

She won the Aramco Team Series in London, part of the 2021 Ladies European Tour, becoming the second Indian golfer after Aditi Ashok to win multiple titles on the Ladies European Tour.

Reflecting on Aditi’s performance, Dagar said, “It’s great to see Aditi win and very nice that she is the first Indian to win the tournament. I will take a lot of motivation from this and her performance at the LET. This year has instilled a lot of confidence in all the Indian players.”

Olympic calling

Diksha Dagar’s talent on the golf course earned her a prestigious spot for India at the 2020 Summer Olympics. This was her first appearance at the Olympics.

Her participation in the 2020 Tokyo women’s golf tournament came as a surprise, as she withdrew after South Africa’s Paula Reto withdrew and Austria decided not to send Sarah Schober as a replacement.

The International Golf Federation (IGF) subsequently awarded the vacant spot to Diksha Dagar, paving the way for her historic Olympic debut.

This was a significant milestone as Diksha became one of the few deaf athletes to participate in the Olympic Games and the first deaf athlete from India to represent his country in this highly regarded event.

In addition to her Olympic debut, Diksha also qualified for the 2021 Summer Olympics, which will be held in May 2022.

This was her second appearance at the Deaflympics, where she won the women’s gold medal by beating American Ashlyn Grace in the final.

The victory was historic and made her the first and only golfer in Deaflympics history to win two medals in golf since the sport was introduced to the Deaflympics in 2017.

Diksha previously won a silver medal in Samsun, Turkey, in 2017, and her gold medal in 2022 cemented her legacy in the sport.

The future for us

When Diksha looks back on her journey between the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, she feels she has grown significantly as a golfer.

“I have improved in various aspects related to mental makeup, dealing with expectations, training, fitness, travel and preparation. In a way, I have completed my graduation and am doing my master’s degree in the nuances of professional golf. I am more balanced, stable and a happier pro,” she told SAI Media in an interview.

Diksha Dagar’s achievements not only underline her exceptional talent and dedication, but also inspire athletes around the world, proving that physical challenges can be overcome with perseverance and hard work.

As she prepares for the Olympic Games in Paris, the country holds its breath, hoping this young prodigy will rewrite history and bring home a medal.