At Aurora50’s Inclusive Workplaces Summit, public speaker and powerlifter Aarti Shah shared how her Down syndrome diagnosis never stopped her from striving for a promising future.
As a child, Aarti Shah learned an unforgettable lesson about determination and standing her ground. When her brother took the last mango they were meant to share, she refused to give up.
“I bit him! Just a little, but it worked. Guess what? I got the mango!,” she recounted at the summit. That moment, she said, taught her that to achieve something, she would need to fight for it.
“That I would need to earn respect, not sympathy.”
Combined with her parents’ support and determination, this lesson became the cornerstone of her journey as a person with Down syndrome, driving her to overcome challenges and achieve significant milestones in sports, work and personal growth.
When Ms Shah was born, doctors told her parents she was “different.”
Despite this, they refused to let societal ignorance define her future. From the very beginning, they set out to create an environment where she could thrive.
“My parents knew one thing for sure – they weren’t going to let ignorance dictate my life,” she said.
“Just like with the mango, my parents made sure I had every opportunity. Back then, there was no Google for answers, so they asked questions, learned from others and trusted their instincts to raise me.”
Her parents ensured she received the best therapy and care to grow into a confident, well-rounded individual.
“Therapy became the foundation of who I am today, teaching me the values of positivity, hard work and never giving up,” she shared.
Today, the athlete has numerous accolades, including a gold medal from the Asian Powerlifting Championship, representing the UAE.
But for Ms Shah, winning was about more than the medal itself.
“It proved that when you believe in yourself, you can break barriers,” she said.
What truly brought her joy, however, was the journey – the rigorous training, discipline and dedication that shaped her success.
“What really made me happy was the process of getting there and making the UAE proud,” she said.
“Each repetition in the gym was a reminder of my strength and resilience.”
The key message Ms Shah said she would like people to take away from her story is that no goal is beyond reach.
“When you set your mind to a goal, everything starts to fall into place,” she said,
She added that her motivation comes from a strong connection between mind and body.
“It might sound like a lot of effort, but when you’re doing something you love, it doesn’t feel like work at all. It’s fun. It’s a challenge. And every time you succeed, the reward feels even greater.”
Ms Shah concluded by saying she believes the only true limits are the ones individuals place on themselves.
“It’s not about ignoring difficulties. It’s about embracing them, learning from them and pushing past them,” she explained.
Whether in sports, work, or life, she holds one principle close to her heart:
“If I set my heart on something, I can achieve it. And so can you.”
At Aurora50’s inaugural Inclusive Workplaces Summit, senior leaders who are parents of people of determination shared workplace solutions in a compelling panel discussion.
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