Closing in on dreams, ‘Toofan of Saintli’ won’t run again

Ghaziabad: The last time Chirag Tyagi spoke to his father was on May 28, calling from Bengaluru moments after qualifying for Asian Games.“Papa, I have qualified for Asian Games, and I will come home for a couple of days,” the 24-year-old para athlete told Manoj Tyagi. The family in Saintli village, Ghaziabad, had been waiting years for a moment like this. They began preparing to celebrate but Chirag never came home.Days after that call, the visually impaired sprinter — known to everyone as “Toofan” — was allegedly murdered by a friend, cutting short a journey that had only just gathered pace.Manoj, a farmer who also worked as a daily wager, had not always believed sport could give his son a future. When Chirag — born with weak eyesight and disinterested in academics — began sneaking out before dawn to run on school grounds, his father worried.“He was never interested in studies,” Manoj told TOI. “But he loved running. He would quietly leave home at 4 in the morning and go to school grounds to participate in races and practice athletics.”His PE teacher repeatedly told the family that Chirag had rare talent. Manoj remained unconvinced. “We are poor people. I thought sports would not give him a future,” he said.The turning point came in 2021, when Chirag lost a local athletics championship in Meerut and returned home devastated. Seeing his son’s grief, Manoj made a decision. “That is when I decided to support him fully,” he said. He also realised Chirag needed better coaching, and in 2024, approached para-athletics coach Gajendra Singh at Gandhi Stadium in Modinagar.“I met him and asked him to take my son under his mentorship. Initially he refused, but I convinced him telling him how hardworking and disciplined Chirag is,” Manoj said.Chirag was an only child. His mother, Nisha Tyagi, has been unable to speak since news of his death reached Saintli. Relatives said she has repeatedly lost consciousness since her son’s passing. Outside their modest home, villagers have been gathering through the day. “Everyone is crying,” said family friend Pramod Tyagi. “The entire village is mourning him.”Gajendra Singh had already earned national recognition for training Paralympic bronze medallist Simran Sharma when Manoj brought Chirag to him. Once he took Chirag on, the progress was rapid.“Chirag was very hardworking and would follow my instructions and advice religiously,” Singh said.Chirag had competed at the 23rd National Para Athletics Championship in Chennai in Feb 2025, winning gold in the men’s 400m T12 category — for athletes whose vision is constricted to less than five degrees, or who can recognise a moving object only from one metre. He followed it with another gold at Khelo India Para Games in Delhi in March.However, a roof collapse at his home left Chirag with a serious leg injury and he could barely walk for two months. “Even in pain, Chirag was extremely motivated,” said Singh.In June 2025, he represented India at World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Tunisia. By Dec, Singh had personally advocated for Chirag’s sponsorship with Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), which provides support only to elite Olympic and Paralympic athletes.“Seeing the potential in Chirag, they decided to sponsor him — a monthly stipend of Rs 20,000, with stay, food and other amenities provided free of cost at the JLN Stadium hostel in Delhi,” Singh said.Their final conversation was on May 28, after the Bengaluru championships. They had agreed to meet on June 2, after Chirag’s short break at home.“Who knew that this would be the last time I saw him,” Singh said. “Chirag had the potential to be an outstanding para athlete and his life was cut short in the most inhumane way.”Fellow athlete Shivam, who shared a room with Chirag during the Bengaluru championships, described someone who never switched off — even during downtime. “Even while training together, he would help others improve their form and technique,” he said. The two had travelled back together to Delhi airport and were due to resume training on June 2.Paralympic medallist Preethi Pal, who also trains under Singh, remembered Chirag as the emotional centre of their group. “We were both very excited to go as a team to Japan and compete in Asian Games,” she said. “Chirag was constantly talking about breaking the Asian record” — set at 48.42 seconds in the men’s 400m T12. His personal best was 49.69 at the 400m race in Bengaluru.For his family, coach and teammates, the grief is not only in his death, but in the future they were certain he was only beginning to build.