ndian para-archer Harvinder Singh made history by winning gold at the Paralympic Games in Paris, defeating Poland’s Lukasz Ciszek 6-0 in the men’s individual recurve open final. This victory marks India’s first-ever gold in archery at the Paralympics. The 33-year-old PhD student from Haryana had previously won bronze in Tokyo and secured five wins in one day to claim his second Paralympic medal. Harvinder’s precise shooting, including three perfect 10s in the final, earned him the gold. He also became the first Indian to reach an archery final at the Paralympics.
Earlier, Harvinder defeated opponents from Iran, Colombia, Indonesia, and Chinese Taipei. This gold is India’s fourth at the Paris Paralympics, bringing the country’s total to 22 medals, surpassing its previous best of 19. Harvinder, who overcame early life challenges after losing function in his legs due to dengue-related complications, was inspired by the 2012 London Paralympics to pursue archery. His father even converted their farm into a practice range during the COVID-19 lockdown. Harvinder’s determination and resilience have made him a historic figure in Indian archery, following his bronze win in Tokyo.
