After an Epilepsy Diagnosis at 19, This National Sprinter Came Back & Broke Her Personal Best

The track feels predictable to Devaki Dhar. The grip of spikes on rubber. The steady tension of the starting blocks. The straight, measurable distance to the finish line. For the Delhi-based national sprinter, this order brings comfort. On the track, effort follows rules. Outcomes feel earned. Control feels possible. That sense of control disappeared a year ago. At 19, while competing at the national level, Devaki was diagnosed with epilepsy. For someone whose life revolved around precision and discipline, the diagnosis felt like a breakdown of a system she had trusted for years. “I didn’t ...