Asian Para Games 2026: Meet the Indian gold medallists

Para Shooting | R2 – Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing (SH1); R8 – Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (SH1)

Mona Agarwal. | Photo Credit: SAI

Mona Agarwal (centre) signed off from the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya with gold medals in both her events.

Winning multiple gold medals is an achievement in itself, but the manner in which the 38-year-old Paralympic bronze medallist clinched both titles was equally remarkable.

First, in the R2 women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event, she topped the qualification round with a new Asian Para Games Qualification Record of 629.1. In the final, she defeated compatriot and reigning champion Avani Lekhara (249.6) to claim gold with a new Games Record of 250.0.

In the R8 women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 event, Mona qualified for the final in sixth place with a score of 566, while Avani topped the 13-competitor field with a new Asian Para Games Qualification Record of 580. However, the final produced a different outcome. While Avani finished fourth, Mona clinched gold with a new world record of 357.5.

Born in Sikar, Rajasthan, Mona contracted polio when she was just nine months old, affecting both her lower limbs.

A mother of two, Mona competed in multiple para sports, including powerlifting, volleyball and athletics, before taking up shooting in December 2021. She won a national silver medal in 2022 and a bronze in the mixed team event at her first international World Cup in 2023.

Mona, who trains under coach Yogesh Kumar in Jaipur, enjoyed a major breakthrough at the Paris Paralympics, winning bronze in the R2 women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event. She came into the Asian Para Games in excellent form, having won silver in the same event.

Nishad Kumar

Para Athletics | Long jump (T47) — 7.11 metres; High jump (T47) — 2.04 metres

Nishad Kumar. | Photo Credit: SAI

Nishad Kumar joined an elite club in Indian para sport when he won gold medals in the men’s long jump and high jump T47 events on consecutive days.

Nishad began his campaign by winning the long jump with an effort of 7.11 metres, comfortably finishing ahead of Uzbekistan’s Omadbek Khasanov, who managed 6.99 metres.

He returned the following day for the high jump, his specialist discipline, and cleared 2.04 metres to win another gold. The performance also established a new Asian Para Games record. Nishad, who lost a part of his right hand in a grass-cutting machine accident during childhood, has long been considered one of India’s finest para athletes.

His success at the Asian level was expected, given the standards the 27-year-old from Himachal Pradesh has set.

Nishad is a two-time Paralympic silver medallist, having finished second in the high jump at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. He had, however, never competed in the long jump at the Paralympics.

Dilip Gavit

Para Athletics | 100m (T47) — 10.69 s; 400m (T47) — 48.27 s

Dilip Gavit. | Photo Credit: SAI

Dilip Mahadu Gavit emerged as one of India’s outstanding performers on the track at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games, winning gold medals in both the men’s 100m and 400m T47 events.

Gavit first claimed the 100m title in 10.69 seconds, holding off compatriot Mohammed Basil, who finished second in 10.72 seconds. He returned to the track the following day and completed his double by winning the 400m in 48.27 seconds.

Gavit’s journey to the top began far from the international athletics circuit. Born in a village near Nashik in Maharashtra, Gavit lost his left hand in an accident when he was four years old. Although he played sports, access to facilities was limited.

His potential was spotted by coach Vaijanath Kale, who saw him competing in school events and persuaded his parents to let him train and live with him. He made his international debut in 2022 before going on to win gold in the men’s 400m T47 at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games.

He subsequently switched his focus to the 100m at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where the 400m was not part of the programme, and won gold.

At Nagoya, with the 400m back on the programme, he showed that his ambitions and talent are not restricted to a single distance.

Simran Sharma

Para Athletics | 100m (T12) — 12.02s; 200m (T12) — 24.80s

Simran Sharma. | Photo Credit: SAI

Simran Sharma, along with Dilip Gavit, was the only other Indian to win multiple gold medals in track events in Aichi-Nagoya.

The 27-year-old from Delhi was born prematurely with a visual impairment. Her supportive parents encouraged her to participate in sports during her school days.

Although she was talented and won medals, financial constraints made it difficult for her to access proper training facilities and coaching.

Her life changed when she met Gajender Singh, a fellow athlete and army soldier, who became her coach and, later, her husband.

Three years ago in Hangzhou, Simran had to settle for two silver medals. In Japan, however, she set one Games Record after another. Running with her guide Shivam, the mother of two began her campaign by clocking 25.22s in the 200m heats. She improved on that timing in the final, crossing the finish line in 24.80s.

In the 100m event, she breezed through the heats in 12.13s before setting a new Games Record of 12.02s in the final.

T11 to T13 events are for athletes with visual impairments. T11 is for athletes with total or near-total blindness, while T13 represents the least severe level of visual impairment. T12 athletes fall between the two categories.

Simran’s success at the Asian Para Games came after a harrowing 2025 for her. She had won a gold and a silver medal at the World Championships in New Delhi, but following the event, her then guide Umar Saifi failed a dope test.

Pranav Soorma. | Photo Credit: SAI

Pranav Soorma

Para Athletics | Club Throw (F51) — 32.87m; Discus Throw (F51/F52/F53) — 11.66m

Pranav Soorma enjoyed a spectacular campaign in Aichi-Nagoya, winning gold medals in both the men’s club throw F51 and discus throw F51/F52/F53 events. He set a Games record of 32.87m in the club throw and an Asian record of 11.66m in the discus.

The medals followed the gold he had won in the F51 club throw event at Hangzhou.

The 32-year-old’s double gold in Nagoya was another major milestone in a career that has established him among India’s leading wheelchair field-event athletes. It was a future he might not have envisioned when, at 16, he suffered a severe spinal cord injury that left him with quadriplegia, dramatically changing the course of his life.

Soorma gradually rebuilt his life, pursuing his education while navigating the challenges posed by his condition. Alongside his sporting career, he works as a Scale-II manager at Bank of Baroda.

His family has played a significant role in his journey. His father, Sanjeev Soorma, left his job to support him as a full-time companion and athletic attendant, helping him travel and manage the demands of competitive sport. His biggest international breakthrough came at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, where he won silver in the men’s club throw F51 event. Although he missed out on a medal at the Para Athletics World championships, his performance in Nagoya will give him confidence as he looks ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics.

Solairaj Dharmaraj

Para Athletics | Long Jump (T44/T62/T64) — 7.15m

Solairaj Dharmaraj. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Solairaj Dharmaraj defended his gold medal in the men’s long jump T44/T62/T64 event in emphatic fashion. The 32-year-old, who hails from Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu, bettered his own Asian record of 7.08m in the T64 category with a leap of 7.15m. His effort earned him 807 Raza Points, putting him comfortably ahead of second-placed Malaysian Eddy Bernard (T44, 6.34m – 740 Raza Points).

Dharmaraj is a Subedar in the Indian Army. Complications following a tour of duty in the high-altitude terrain of Kargil left a blood clot in his left leg in 2018. The condition worsened into nerve damage, leaving doctors with no option but to amputate the leg below the knee to prevent further complications.

Sumit Antil

Para Athletics | Javelin Throw (F42-F44/F61-F64) — 72.46m

Sumit Antil. | Photo Credit: PCI

Sumit Antil is arguably the most high-profile Indian in para athletics. The 28-year-old, who hails from Sonipat, Haryana, has already achieved success at almost every major competition. He is a two-time Paralympic champion and three-time world champion. He also holds the men’s world record of 74.82m in the F64 category (for athletes with unilateral below-knee limb deficiency who compete with a prosthesis).

In Japan, although he couldn’t better his own world record, his throw of 72.46m was more than enough to defend the gold medal he had won three years ago. Since Sumit’s event featured multiple categories, the medallists were judged using the Raza points system. He led compatriots Mahendra Gurjar (F42, 59.03m – 1,066 Raza Points) and Sandip Sanjay Sargar (F44, 64.48m – 1,006 Raza Points) as India swept the podium.

Haney

Para Athletics | Javelin Throw (F37/38) — 60.49 (Gold); Discus Throw (F37) — 57.04 (Bronze)

Haney. | Photo Credit: PCI

At just 21, Haney announced himself as one of India’s most exciting emerging para-athletes with a world-record performance in the men’s javelin F37/38 event at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games. Haney produced a throw of 60.49 metres in his sixth and final attempt to win gold in Nagoya, setting a new world record in the F37 classification. His throw was nearly 10 metres further than that of silver medallist Hormoz Seidikazpounji of Iran, who managed 50.68 metres. The performance was the culmination of a remarkable transition between sports for the young Indian, who had initially pursued para shooting.

Originally from Goria in Haryana, a village that is also the birthplace of double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, Haney began his sporting journey in shooting. He trained at the shooting range in a school owned by Manu’s family. However, when he reached the senior level, he discovered that the T37 classification for athletes with cerebral palsy was not included in international para-shooting programmes. He subsequently switched to athletics, focusing on throwing events, including discus where he won bronze. The decision has proved inspired. Before his javelin victory in Nagoya, Haney had also secured bronze in the men’s discus F37 event, making him a double medallist at the Asian Para Games.

Rinku Hooda

Para Athletics | Javelin Throw (F46) — 65.11m

Rinku Hooda. | Photo Credit: SAI

Having won silver in Hangzhou and bronze in Jakarta, Rinku Hooda clinched gold in the men’s javelin throw F46 event in Nagoya. The 27-year-old Rinku, the reigning world champion, recorded a season’s best of 65.11m in the final, beating silver medallist Ajeet Singh by nine centimetres to claim the top spot on the podium.

Rinku hails from Dhamar village in Haryana’s Rohtak district. He was just three years old when he accidentally fell asleep behind the flywheel of a tractor. Before he could realise what was happening, the blades started turning and severely injured his left arm in three places, eventually leading to its amputation.

Rinku’s ultimate goal is to win a Paralympic medal at Los Angeles 2028, having failed to secure a podium finish in 2016 and 2024.

Soumya

Para Athletics | 1500m (T12/T13) — 5:12.39s

Soumya. | Photo Credit: SAI

Soumya won India’s first gold medal in a track event at Aichi-Nagoya. The 18-year-old para-athlete from Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka secured the top spot in the women’s 1500m T12/T13 event, while compatriot Radha Venkatesh bagged silver.

T11 to T13 events are for athletes with visual impairments. T11 is for athletes with total or near-total blindness, while T13 represents the least severe level of visual impairment. T12 athletes fall between the two categories.

Running alongside her guide Kumar Bharath, Soumya clocked 5:12.39s to top the final with 621 Raza Points, finishing exactly 200 points ahead of Radha.

Praveen Kumar

Para Athletics | High jump (T64) — 2.05m

Praveen Kumar. | Photo Credit: SAI

Praveen Kumar successfully defended his Asian Para Games high jump title with a gold in the men’s T64 event with a Games-record clearance of 2.05 metres, improving on his own mark of 2.02 metres set in Hangzhou.

The Indian cleared an impressive 13 cm above compatriot Banti, who took silver with a clearance of 1.92 metres.

Born and raised in Govindgarh village near Greater Noida, Praveen overcame a congenital impairment affecting the bones that connect his hip to his left leg to begin his career competing alongside able-bodied athletes before discovering para sports. Since making the switch in 2019, he has regularly finished on the podium.

His gold in Nagoya was the latest milestone in an outstanding international career. The 23-year-old is already a Paralympic champion, having won gold at Paris 2024 and silver at Tokyo 2020.

Ayush Verma

Para Athletics | Shot Put (F53) — 8.16m (Gold); Javelin Throw (F53/F54) — 17.88m (Bronze)

Ayush Verma. | Photo Credit: SAI

Having already won bronze in the javelin throw F53/F54 event, Ayush Verma made his Asian Para Games campaign in Aichi-Nagoya even more special by grabbing the gold in the shot put event.

The 35-year-old para-athlete from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, beat Iran’s Alireza Hemami (8.09m) to claim the top spot on the podium with his fifth throw of 8.16m in the seated throwing event.

For Ayush, the gold in Japan came just six years after he began his journey in competitive para sports, taking up shot put under the guidance of coach Robin Kumar.

Sachin Sarjerao Khilari

Sachin Sarjerao Khilari. | Photo Credit: SAI

Para Athletics | Shot Put (F46 ) — 15.87m

Sachin Sarjerao Khilari gave himself the perfect gift ahead of his 37th birthday by successfully defending his Asian Para Games gold medal in the men’s shot put F46 event.

The two-time world champion and Paralympic silver medallist, who hails from Karagani village in Maharashtra’s Sangli district, set a new Games Record of 15.87m to lead an all-Indian podium, with Mohd. Yasser (15.06m) and Parveen (14.94m) finishing second and third, respectively.

The F46 category is for athletes with upper limb impairments resulting from limb deficiency, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement.

A tragic accident at school left Sachin with a disability in his left hand. Nevertheless, he went on to achieve success in para sports while also excelling academically and becoming a mechanical engineer.

Sandeep

Para Athletics | 400m (T64) — 52.28s

Sandeep. | Photo Credit: SAI

Sandeep produced one of the most remarkable performances of India’s athletics campaign with a gold in the men’s 400m T64 event at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium. In what was his debut at the Asian Para Games, Sandeep clocked 52.28 seconds. It was a particularly significant performance because it also established a new world record for the T44 classification. Perhaps more significantly for India, Sandeep’s gold helped the country reach the 100-medal milestone at the Games.

Hailing from Bhini Badshahpur village in Hisar, Haryana, Sandeep was born with weakness in his right leg and faced physical challenges from birth. However, he developed a passion for athletics, winning his first national medal in 2021, just a year after taking up the sport.

Specialising in sprint events, he won bronze in the 200m at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi in 2025, setting the stage for his record-breaking performance in Nagoya. As the new world-record holder in his classification, Sandeep will have plenty of motivation to build on his latest achievement.

Deepthi Jeevanji

Para Athletics | 400m (T20) — 56.36s

Deepthi Jeevanji. | Photo Credit: SAI

Deepthi Jeevanji was among the six Indians who won gold medals in track events in Aichi-Nagoya. The 23-year-old from Warangal, Telangana, defended her title from Hangzhou by clocking 56.36s in the final, setting a new Games Record in the process. She finished comfortably ahead of Japan’s Niina Kanno (58.92s) and Akane Kato (1:00.26s), who claimed silver and bronze, respectively.

The T20 category is for athletes with intellectual impairments.

N. Ramesh, a coach with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), spotted the then 15-year-old Deepthi at a state-level athletics meet and began coaching her. Since then, she has established herself as one of India’s prominent para-athletes, winning a gold and a silver at the World Championships as well as a bronze at the Paris Paralympics.

Shailesh Kumar

Para Athletics | High jump (T63) — 1.89 m (Gold); Long jump (T42/T61/T63) — 5.57m (Bronze)

Shailesh Kumar. | Photo Credit: SAI

Shailesh Kumar capped one of India’s standout performances in Nagoya by winning gold in the men’s high jump T63 event with a Games-record clearance of 1.89 metres. The 26-year-old from Bihar’s Jamui district led an Indian podium sweep, with compatriots Varun Singh Bhati and Rahul for company.

Shailesh’s victory was particularly satisfying, given that he had already won bronze in the long jump T42/T61/T63 event a day earlier with an effort of 5.57 metres. Despite the demanding schedule, the mathematics graduate improved on his own Games record of 1.82 metres, set while winning the high jump title at Hangzhou in 2023, where he had missed out on a long jump medal.

His double-medal performance in Nagoya should give him confidence as he looks to raise the bar further.

Devender Kumar

Para Athletics | Discus throw (F43/F44/F62/F64) — 49.71 m

Devender Kumar. | Photo Credit: SAI

Thirty-two-year-old Devender Kumar (in pic, centre) won a second consecutive Asian Para Games gold medal when he took first place in the men’s discus throw F43/F44/F62/F64 event at Nagoya. Devender produced a best throw of 49.71 metres to take the title, leading an all-Indian podium finish.

Devender hails from Kishkanda village in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri district. The son of a national-level volleyball player, he too played the sport and competed at the national level.

That journey came to a halt when, at 21, he was involved in a serious accident that left him with multiple fractures in his left leg and hip. He underwent surgery and spent two months in hospital.

Introduced to para athletics by his cousin, Devender took up the discus throw, eventually winning gold at the 2019 Open Nationals.

He has since represented India at international competitions, winning gold at the 2022 Asian Para Games and finishing sixth at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships. With another Asian title to his name, he will be setting his sights on further victories.

Suvarna Raj

Para Athletics | Discus Throw (F54) — 15.66m

Suvarna Raj. | Photo Credit: SAI

India’s Suvarna Raj won gold in the women’s discus throw F54 event after a stiff competition from Iran’s Shahla Hadidi.

Hadidi had a best effort of 15.45m. However, it wasn’t enough to stop Suvarna from securing the top spot on the podium. The 44-year-old Indian’s biggest throw of 15.66m came in her fifth attempt.

Suvarna hails from Nagpur but currently lives in Greater Noida. Her journey in para athletics began in 2017 under coach Pintu Nagar.

The F54 classification is for seated field athletes with impairments affecting trunk and lower-limb function.

Suvarna also has a life beyond sports. She is an accessibility specialist and disability rights advocate who has conducted more than 1,000 accessibility audits across India. She has also served as the Election Commission of India’s Brand Ambassador for Accessible Elections.

Anjanaben Bumbadiya

Para Athletics | 400m (T47) — 59.97s

Anjanaben Bumbadiya. | Photo Credit: SAI

Two days after finishing seventh in the women’s 200m T47 final, the 25-year-old Anjanaben stood atop of the podium in the 400m event. She was the only runner among the four finalists to clock a sub-one-minute time. Her effort of 59.97s was enough to edge compatriot Jayanti Behera (1:00.65s) and Thailand’s Sasirawan Inthachot (1:02.58s).

Anjanaben hails from Sabarkantha district in Gujarat. She was born with a congenital upper-limb impairment and competes in the T47 category.

Sheetal Devi

Para Archery | Mixed Compound Team with Toman Kumar (Gold); Compound Doubles with Payal Nag (Silver)

Sheetal Devi (below, right) continued her remarkable rise in international para-archery with a double-gold performance in Aichi-Nagoya. Born without arms, Sheetal uses her feet to draw and release the bow. The 19-year-old won the women’s individual compound title before partnering Toman Kumar to victory in the mixed team event. She also claimed silver alongside Payal Nag in the women’s compound doubles.

Sheetal dominated the individual competition, topping qualification with 704 points to equal the world record. She carried that form into the knockout stages, defeating Singapore’s Alim Nur Syahidah 142-139 in the final. She then teamed up with Toman, with the pair having set a world record of 1,402 points in qualification, to secure the mixed team crown. Her achievements in Nagoya further cemented her status as one of the world’s leading compound archers.

Toman Kumar and Sheetal Devi. | Photo Credit: SAI

Toman Kumar

Para Archery | Mixed Compound Team with Sheetal Devi

It has been a remarkable journey for Toman (above, right), who has been competing in para-archery for less than four years. Originally from Ahibaran Nawagaon village in Chhattisgarh’s Balod district, Toman Kumar joined the CRPF in 2017 and later became part of its elite CoBRA unit. In February 2022, he stepped on an IED during an anti-Maoist operation near Lohardaga, Jharkhand, resulting in the amputation of his left foot.

During rehabilitation in Hyderabad, he met CRPF archery coach Pankaj Singh, who encouraged him to take up the sport. Toman began training in 2023, overcoming initial difficulties with balance and shooting while using a prosthetic foot. His military background helped him adapt to the sport’s physical and mental demands.

His dedication has now taken him to the top of the Asian Para Games podium with his gold with Sheetal.

Harvinder Singh-Vijay Sundi

Para Archery | Recurve Doubles

Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi (first and third from left). | Photo Credit: SAI

Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi combined to win gold in the men’s para recurve doubles at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games. The Indian duo topped qualification with 1,261 points before maintaining their composure through the knockout rounds to secure the title.

For Harvinder, the 35-year-old from Haryana, the gold added to an illustrious career. He became India’s first Paralympic archery medallist with bronze at Tokyo 2020 before winning individual recurve gold at Paris 2024. He has a permanent impairment in his left leg, caused by an adverse reaction to an injection during infancy.

For Sundi, the victory marked the biggest achievement of his career. The Jharkhand-born archer contracted polio as a child and took up archery at 20. Financial difficulties once forced him to leave the sport and work as a labourer in Bengaluru. After returning, he made his international debut earlier this year before striking gold in Nagoya.

NItesh Kumar. | Photo Credit: SAI

Nitesh Kumar

Para Badminton | Singles (SL3; Gold); Mixed Doubles with Thulasimathi Murugesan (SL3-SU5; Silver)

Three years ago, Nitesh Kumar lost to Pramod Bhagat in a thrilling three-game final in the men’s singles SL3 event at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games. At the time, Pramod was the reigning Paralympic champion.

At the latest edition, the roles were reversed. Nitesh, now the reigning Paralympic gold medallist, showed why he was the favourite by defeating Pramod 21-18, 21-16 in the final. Nitesh later added a silver medal in the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 event alongside Thulasimathi Murugesan.

The 32-year-old was born in Rajasthan but currently lives in Haryana. In 2009, he lost his left leg in a train accident in Visakhapatnam, which left him bedridden for months. His journey in para badminton began during his days at IIT Mandi.

The SL3 classification is for players with severe lower-limb impairments. They compete on a half-width court, playing only on one side of the field.

Naveen Sivakumar. | Photo Credit: SAI

Naveen Sivakumar

Para Badminton | Singles (SL4; Gold); Doubles with Surya Kant Yadav (SL3-SU5; Bronze)

Naveen Sivakumar enjoyed a dream debut at Aichi-Nagoya, winning gold in the men’s SL4 category. The 23-year-old from Tamil Nadu, who was born with clubfoot in his left leg, defeated experienced Indonesian shuttler and former Asian Para Games gold medallist Fredy Setiawan 21-9, 21-17 in the final.

The SL4 classification is for players with less severe lower-limb impairments than those in the SL3 category. They compete on a full court.

Naveen also bagged bronze in the men’s doubles SL3-SU5 competition alongside Surya Kant Yadav. The duo lost 8-21, 21-19, 16-21 to Indonesia’s Suryo Nugroho and Muhammad Al Imran in the semifinals.

Manasi Joshi

Para Badminton | Doubles with Thulasimathi Murugesan (SL3-SU5)

Manasi Joshi’s (below, left) wait for a maiden Asian Para Games gold medal finally ended in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as she and Thulasimathi Murugesan defeated China’s Qiuxia Yang and Zuxian Xiao 21-16, 21-13 in the women’s doubles SL3-SU5 final.

The 37-year-old, who trains at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad, had previously won two bronze medals in singles and a silver in women’s doubles at the continental showpiece.

Manasi hails from Rajkot, Gujarat. She lost her left leg in a road accident in Mumbai in December 2011 and began competing in international events in 2015. Four years later, she went on to become a world champion.

Manasi Joshi and Thulasimathi Murugesan. | Photo Credit: SAI

Thulasimathi Murugesan

Para Badminton | Doubles with Manasi Joshi (SL3-SU5; Gold); Singles (SU5; Silver); Mixed Doubles with Nitesh (SL3-SU5; Silver)

Thulasimathi Murugesan (above, right) and para-archer Sheetal Devi were the only Indians to win three medals in Nagoya.

For the 24-year-old from Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, the biggest triumph came in the women’s doubles SL3-SU5 event. Partnering Manasi Joshi, she defeated China’s Qiuxia Yang and Zuxian Xiao 21-16, 21-13 to clinch gold.

Along with her gold with Manasi, the 24-year-old also won silver in the SU5 singles competition, losing to Yang in the final, and in the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 event with Nitesh Kumar.

The Indian duo went down to Indonesia’s Leani Ratri Oktila and Hikmat Ramdani in the summit clash.

The Paris Paralympics silver medallist trains at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad.

She was born with a congenital deformity in her left hand, resulting in the loss of a thumb, as well as chronic ulnar neuritis and muscle atrophy.

The SU5 classification is for players with upper-limb impairments.