The Indian wheelchair user inspiring People of Determination in Dubai

Dubai: At just 20-years-old, Sujith Varghese’s life changed in an instant. A bike accident left him paralysed below the chest, beginning a long and difficult journey through hospitals, rehabilitation and the challenge of rebuilding a future he had once imagined very differently.

What followed was not a story defined by what Varghese had lost, but rather what he had gained as he slowly rediscovered movement and pushed himself beyond what he thought was possible.

Today, Varghese is a Guinness World Record holder, the first wheelchair user in the UAE to become accredited as a full personal trainer and one of the Dubai Fitness Challenge's longest-standing ambassadors.

More importantly, he has become a source of inspiration for fellow People of Determination, using his own journey to show others that an accident may change your path, but it does not have to define your limits.

Nine years ago, Varghese was still taking his first steps back into fitness, unaware that a message from Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) would soon become a defining moment in his journey and ultimately, his life.

"At that time, I was still very new to working out. I had only just started picking myself up and rebuilding my life and honestly, I never imagined that I would be part of something as big as the Dubai Fitness Challenge," he said.

"I received a message from DET inviting me to be one of the official ambassadors. They had heard about my journey and how I was sharing my fitness journey with people, hoping it would encourage them to start working out and make a positive change in their own lives.

"For me, it was a huge privilege. Here I was, still figuring out my own journey, and suddenly I was being given an opportunity to be part of an initiative that was going to get an entire city moving."

Launched in 2017, the Dubai Fitness Challenge is a citywide initiative designed to get people of all ages and abilities moving, with its 30x30 challenge encouraging residents to complete 30 minutes of physical activity every day for 30 days.

For People of Determination, the initiative has increasingly focused on making fitness genuinely accessible, with adapted activities, dedicated support and inclusive events such as Dubai Run, Dubai Ride, Dubai Yoga and adaptive experiences at Dubai Stand Up Paddle.

Varghese’s journey is inseparable from the city that gave him the platform to redefine himself.

"As someone who has lived here for most of my life and experienced the city both before and after my injury, I've seen a tremendous amount of change,” said Varghese.

“I became the first Person of Determination in a wheelchair in the UAE to be accredited as a full personal trainer, that credential doesn't exist without a system that was willing to build the path for it.

"Dubai's leadership has made accessibility a public priority, and that is reflected across areas including sport, transport, and employment. I personally feel I live in the best place in the world, a city that has given me tremendous opportunities to stand up once again."

The Dubai Fitness Challenge holds an especially significant place in Varghese’s heart, having played a pivotal role in some of his proudest achievements.

One moment, in particular, stands out, the 2022 Dubai Run, which became an unexpected turning point as he prepared to take on his Guinness World Record attempt.

“At the time, initial discussions were already happening around my Guinness World Record attempt and one of the things we were looking at was the possibility of me having to wheel anywhere between 5 and 10 kilometres for the event,” he said.

"The idea sounded exciting, but there was one small problem - I had never wheeled that distance on my own before. So I remember thinking, 'Is this actually physically possible for me?'

"I decided to take part and give it everything I had. I remember the feeling of pushing myself further and further, not knowing exactly how my body was going to respond, but just continuing.

"Looking back, that day was more than just completing a race. It was the first time I really discovered that the distance I was worried about might actually be possible."

The Dubai Fitness Challenge had helped lay the foundations for what came next, giving Varghese the confidence to push his physical limits and proving that distances he once thought impossible were within reach.

Among everything he has achieved since his life-changing accident, one accomplishment stands above the rest. In March 2023, that determination culminated in a Guinness World Record, as Varghese took on the streets of Dubai in his wheelchair and made history.

“In March 2023, I set the Guinness World Record for the Largest GPS Drawing by an Individual - 8.71 kilometres, traced entirely from my wheelchair through the streets around the Burj Khalifa and DIFC, with the route itself forming the shape of a wheelchair.

“Dubai Police escorted the entire route - an ambulance, drones, traffic patrols, the works - that level of support came because they believed in what the message meant, not just the record itself.

“For me, the record is about what it represents: drawing a wheelchair and representing People of determination around the world, showing that we are seen, we are strong and that we made our mark next to the tallest building in the world."

As the Dubai Fitness Challenge prepares to celebrate its 10th edition, Varghese’s story reflects the initiative’s wider goal of making fitness accessible to everyone, regardless of age or ability.

From 31 October to 29 November 2026, residents and visitors will once again be encouraged to take on the 30x30 challenge, committing to at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day for 30 days.