All posts tagged: para

The greatest chapter yet: Indian para athletes rewrite India’s Commonwealth Games legacy

The greatest chapter yet: Indian para athletes rewrite India’s Commonwealth Games legacy

Published by Parlour News

This was always going to be a difficult Commonwealth Games for India. Maintaining the 50-medal benchmark, a streak the nation had carried into every edition since the turn of the century, looked improbable in Glasgow because of the significantly reduced sports programme. Sharmila Dhankar, left, and Shilpa K Shyla celebrate after winning gold and bronze medals respectively in the women’s shot put F57 at the 23rd Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow (PTI) The weightlifters ignited India’s campaign with a flurry of medals and Games records. The boxers then stole the spotlight, delivering the greatest boxing campaign by any contingent in Commonwealth Games history with seven golds and three silvers. Yet, the story of India’s Glasgow campaign cannot be told without its para athletes. They did far more than win medals. They shattered ceilings, eclipsed every benchmark set before them and transformed what was once considered an inspiring side story into one of the defining narratives of India’s sporting rise. ALSO READ: Sakshi Choudhary’s Glasgow CWG boxing gold speaks to her dedication and daredevilry Events for athletes …

Soman Rana, Shubham Juyal power India to another Para Athletics double podium

Soman Rana, Shubham Juyal power India to another Para Athletics double podium

Published by Webster

India continued its dominance in para athletics at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with Soman Rana and Shubham Juyal securing a memorable gold-silver finish in the men’s F57 shot put on Saturday. The result marked India’s third double podium in para athletics at the Glasgow Games and the nation’s second in the shot put events after the women’s F57 competition earlier in the week. World medallist Soman Rana laid down the marker early, opening with a throw of 13.38m before improving to 13.40m on his second attempt. Though he could not better that mark over his remaining four throws, it proved enough to clinch the gold medal. The victory also handed India its third para athletics gold medal of the Games. Compatriot Shubham Juyal produced a strong and consistent series to secure the silver medal. Juyal opened with 13.08m before improving to 13.27m on his third attempt. After throws of 13.16m and 12.88m, the Indian delivered his best effort of the competition, a 13.28m throw, with his final attempt to confirm the silver medal. The gold-silver …

Sharmila Dhankar wins gold, Shilpa Shyla bronze in para shot put at CWG 2026

Sharmila Dhankar wins gold, Shilpa Shyla bronze in para shot put at CWG 2026

Published by Webster

3 min readJul 28, 2026 03:05 AM IST Para-athlete Sharmila Dhankar clinched India’s second gold medal in this edition of the Commonwealth Games in the Women’s Shot Put F57 Final. Shipla Shyla, the other medallist in the event walked away with bronze with a personal best throw of 7.26m. Sharmila, who was born in a zamindar family in Haryana’s Chhithroli, ended India’s 20-year wait for a Para Athletics medal at the Commonwealth Games with a season-best throw of 9.81m. She also became India’s first-ever CWG Gold medallist in Para Athletics and the first Indian woman to win a Para Athletics medal at the Games. India has now won two medals in the same Para Athletics event for the first time at the CWG. The now 40-year-old Sharmila had contracted polio at the age of two following a high fever. She completed her schooling at SDM School, Chhithroli. Despite facing significant personal challenges, including an early marriage and domestic violence in her first marriage, she rebuilt her life with the support of her family. She is …

Para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar wins bronze in men’s heavyweight category

Para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar wins bronze in men’s heavyweight category

Published by Parlour News

2 min readUpdated: Jul 25, 2026 02:00 AM IST Para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar opened India’s medal account in the Commonwealth Games on late Friday night when he won the bronze medal in the Men’s Heavyweight category. Jhandu, who was in Group B, started with a successful 181 kg lift before following it up with another successful lift of 190 kgs. He finished with 130.9 points and maintained his lead for a while before he was pipped by Matthew Harding who finished second and eventual winner Riluwan Idris. Born in Harnaut, Nalanda district, Bihar, he was affected by polio since birth. The son of avegetable vendor, Jhandu comes from a humble family and overcame financial and physical challenges through determination and hard work. He began his sporting career in 2017 as a para athletics athlete, competing in the F55 shot put and discus throw events, where he won several district and state-level medals. During this period, strength training in the gym sparked his interest in powerlifting. Following a recommendation at a state championship, he switched to …

Jhandu Kumar wins Para Powerlifting bronze to open India’s medal haul

Jhandu Kumar wins Para Powerlifting bronze to open India’s medal haul

Published by Webster

India opened its medal account at the 2026 Commonwealth Games after Jhandu Kumar clinched the bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight para powerlifting Final in Glasgow in the early hours of Saturday (IST). The Indian registered a best successful lift of 190kg, which earned him 130.9 points and secured a place on the podium. Jhandu made a confident start by clearing 181kg in his opening attempt for 124.7 points before improving to 190kg in his second lift. The effort propelled him to the top of the standings at the time. The Indian then attempted 196kg in his final lift, a weight that would have set a new Commonwealth Games meet record from the Birmingham 2022 edition. However, he was unable to complete the lift successfully and had to settle for bronze. Earlier in the day, India’s campaign in the lightweight events ended without a medal. Ashok finished fourth in the men’s lightweight final after producing a personal-best lift of 200kg (143.8 points), while Paramjeet Kumar placed seventh with 176kg (135.6 points). In the women’s lightweight …

Ashok finishes fourth with personal best in men’s para powerlifting

Ashok finishes fourth with personal best in men’s para powerlifting

Published by Webster

India’s Ashok narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth in the men’s lightweight para powerlifting event on Day 2 of the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on Friday. Competing in one of India’s first medal events of the day, Ashok produced a personal-best lift of 200kg, earning 143.8 points to finish just outside the podium. He opened with a successful 195kg lift before improving to 200kg on his second attempt. The Indian made one final push at 205kg but was unable to complete the lift. Compatriot Paramjeet Kumar finished seventh after registering 176kg on his opening attempt worth 135.6 points. He was unsuccessful in both his second and third attempts at 179kg, ending the competition with just one valid lift. England’s Mark Swan was among the standout performers in the event, setting a new European record with a successful lift of 222kg. Elsewhere, the Indian men’s artistic gymnastics team continued to impress in the team final. The quartet of Tapan Mohanty, Yogeshwar Singh, Tapeswarnath Das and Swathish K.P. topped the standings among the teams …

SBI Life named Principal Partner of India’s para contingent for 2026 season

SBI Life named Principal Partner of India’s para contingent for 2026 season

Published by Webster

SBI Life Insurance, one of India’s most trusted private life insurers, today announced the strengthening of its partnership with the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), becoming the ‘Principal Partner’ of the Indian Contingent for the 2026 para sports season. The company will act as the ‘Official Life Insurance Partner’ for the Indian Paralympic Contingent that will be heading to the upcoming Commonwealth Para Games 2026 in Glasgow and the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Building on its successful association with India’s para-athletes during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, SBI Life continues to champion stories of determination, preparation, and excellence that inspire individuals to pursue their aspirations with confidence. Through this partnership, SBI Life aims to recognise and amplify the journeys of India’s elite para-athletes, as high-performance competitors who continue to redefine possibilities through their dedication and commitment. Their journeys highlight a universal truth—that aspirations can be pursued when individuals have the confidence, support, and preparation to move forward. Speaking on the partnership, Mr. Ravindra Sharma, Chief of Brand, Corporate Communication & CSR, SBI …

Para swimmer Tejas Nandakumar’s Commonwealth Games dream ends due to classification rule

Para swimmer Tejas Nandakumar’s Commonwealth Games dream ends due to classification rule

Published by Webster

His visa had arrived, accreditation for the Games was sorted, anti-doping formalities were complete, and even his measurements for the official Indian ceremonial kit were submitted. But despite ticking all the right boxes, para-swimmer Tejas Nandakumar will not be part of the Indian contingent at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games scheduled from July 23 to August 2. The 18-year-old from Bengaluru was set to compete in the men’s 50m freestyle S7 event before an email from the Commonwealth Games Federation to the Indian Olympic Association on June 23 changed everything. Tejas’ name was struck off during the final validation process after he was declared ineligible due to an international classification rule. “Following the IF validation process (post 23 June), the athlete has been identified as ineligible to represent your CGA in the Para Swimming competition of G2026,” an email read. According to the eligibility rules, all participating para athletes must either hold a Confirmed (C) international classification or a Review (R) status with a fixed review date of 2027 or later as of the sport entries …

India finish World Archery Para Series with 10 medals in Czechia

India finish World Archery Para Series with 10 medals in Czechia

Published by Webster

India’s Bhawna won women’s para recurve title at the World Archery Para Series in Nove Mesto, Czechia, after defeating compatriot Pooja Jatyan in a shoot-off in the final. The all-Indian title clash saw Bhawna hold her nerve in the decider to claim her second consecutive individual gold medal at the tournament, adding another major achievement to India’s impressive campaign. Pooja Jatyan settled for the silver medal after a strong run to the final, ensuring India secured the top two spots on the podium in the women’s para recurve event. India ends the campaign with five gold medals Bhawna’s triumph capped a successful outing for the Indian contingent, which finished the competition with 10 medals, including five gold, three silver and two bronze. India’s gold-medal haul included victories in both mixed team events. Sheetal Devi and Shyam Sundar Swami clinched the compound mixed team title after defeating Indonesia 147-143 in the final, while Bhawna and Harvinder Singh won the recurve mixed team gold with a 6-2 victory over Indonesia. On Friday, India’s Sheetal Devi and Shyam …

India wins compound mixed team gold at World Archery Para Series

India wins compound mixed team gold at World Archery Para Series

Published by Webster

India claimed the compound mixed team gold medal at the World Archery Para Series in Nove Mesto after Sheetal Devi and Shyam Sundar Swami defeated Indonesia 147-143 in the final. The Indian pair delivered a composed performance in the title clash, maintaining their consistency across the four ends to finish four points clear of their opponents and secure the top spot on the podium. Their road to the final included a commanding 156-144 victory over France in the semifinals, where the pair dominated from start to finish to book a place in the gold medal match. India continues strong run in para archery The triumph adds to India’s growing success in compound para archery, with both Sheetal Devi and Shyam Sundar Swami among the country’s most consistent performers in international competition. Sheetal, one of India’s biggest para archery stars, has enjoyed a rapid rise in the sport, winning medals at the Paralympics, World Championships and Asian Para Games. Shyam, meanwhile, has established himself as a reliable presence in India’s compound team events with multiple international …