Harvinder Singh Becomes First Indian Archer to Win Paralympic Gold

Harvinder Singh scripted history on Wednesday by becoming the first Indian Paralympian archer to win a gold medal at the Paralympics. The 33-year-old from Haryana achieved this remarkable feat by defeating Lukasz Ciszek of Poland 6-0 in the Men’s Individual Recurve Open final at the Paris Paralympics.

Harvinder, who previously won a bronze at the Tokyo Paralympics, delivered an outstanding performance, securing his victory with scores of 28-24, 28-27, and 29-25 across three sets. His journey to the gold medal was nothing short of extraordinary, as he won five consecutive matches in a single day without showing any signs of fatigue or nervousness.

Hailing from a farmer’s family in Ajit Nagar, Haryana, Harvinder faced significant challenges early in life. At just one and a half years old, he contracted dengue, and the subsequent treatment caused a loss of function in his legs. Despite these hardships, Harvinder discovered a passion for archery, inspired by the 2012 London Paralympics.

Harvinder made his international debut at the 2017 Para Archery World Championship, where he finished seventh. His breakthrough came in 2018 when he won a gold medal at the Jakarta Asian Para Games. During the COVID-19 lockdown, his father converted their farm into an archery range to support his training.

Three years ago, Harvinder made history by winning India’s first-ever archery medal, a bronze, at the Tokyo Paralympics. Now, he has taken his achievements to new heights with this historic gold medal in Paris.

In addition to his sporting success, Harvinder is pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics, demonstrating his dedication both on and off the field.

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