Toman Kumar’s incredible Para Archery journey
As Rakesh exited the shooting platform on his wheelchair, Toman stood there awkwardly during the 2025 World Para Archery Championships in Gwanju, South Korea. He went to pat Rakesh on the back before gingerly raising his bow. Then came a wry smile, nearly forced. Toman Kumar was the world champion before Rakesh “bhaiyaa”. It wasn’t how he expected he would win with Rakesh withdrawing midway due to faulty equipment, but here he was at the centre of attention. As Toman raised his bow, his mind flashed back to February 2022. A CRPF jawan with the CoBRA battalion, Toman was involved in an operation against Maoists in Jharkhand’s Lohardaga district. “We had information that there were Maoists there,” recalled Toman in a conversation with The Bridge. “We were climbing the hill, when they suddenly opened fire. “We were running helter skelter and then…,” he tails off. Toman stepped on an IED device. It triggered a blast and he was airlifted to Ranchi. The doctors had to amputate his left leg. The world came crashing down for …
