New Delhi: Nitesh Kumar, an Indian Institute of Expertise-Mandi alumnus, by no means imagined that his resolution to transition from electrical engineering would in the future lead him to sporting glory. Final week, the Paris Paralympics gold medallist within the SL3 badminton males’s singles was chosen for the Arjuna Award, India’s second highest sports activities prize.
Nitesh Kumar, a Paris Paralympics gold medallist within the SL3 badminton males’s singles,was chosen for the Arjuna Award final week (PTI)
India gained 60 medals on the Paris Paralympic Video games – the nation’s most profitable marketing campaign with 16 gold, 21 silver and 23 bronze. In Tokyo, India gained 19 medals (5 gold, 8 silver and 6 bronze).
On his Paralympics debut, the 30-year-old achieved a private milestone, defeating nationwide champions Pramod Bhagat and Manoj Sarkar to safe gold. Having given up engineering, Kumar makes an influence as a senior badminton coach with the Haryana authorities since 2019.
“I feel great that I’m getting this recognition. This award will motivate me to push myself and achieve more medals for India,” he informed HT.
Kumar, nevertheless, was disillusioned that a number of different para athletes have been neglected for the federal government sports activities honour.
“The inclusivity in the society has gone higher. People appreciate our efforts and our victory more than earlier, but the para community is a little surprised that we only have one Khel Ratna awardee (para high jumper Praveen Kumar) when we had seven gold medallists,” stated the Karnal native.
“I feel Harvinder Singh, the only Indian gold medallist in archery or para-archery, deserved to be a Khel Ratna awardee.” Para archer Harvinder gained gold in males’s particular person recurve competitors.
He stated para shuttlers Mansi Joshi – she gained silver and bronze ultimately yr’s World Championships – and Thulasumathi Murugesan – she gained silver on the Worlds and the Paris Paralympics – additionally deserved to be amongst this yr’s Arjuna awardees.
At present coaching on the Shining Star Academy in Bahadurgarh, Haryana below coach Jakkampudi Rajendra Kumar, Kumar is gearing up for a packed schedule.
Moreover the Badminton Asia Para Championships to be held in Thailand this June and the Para World Championships in New Delhi in September, the shuttler has additionally set his sights on clinching a second gold on the Asian Para Video games. The 2026 version can be staged in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
“I want to win all of them as well because, as of now, I don’t have a gold medal in worlds.”