Avani Lekhara a trailblazing Indian Paralympian born on 8 November 2001, in Jaipur. She is a celebrated Indian rifle shooter. Despite challenges, Avani is a gold medal winner in the Paralympics 2024. Her journey to become a world-renowned athlete began after a car accident in 2012. This catastrophic accident left her with complete paraplegia at the age of eleven. Avani’s father is her unstoppable motivation, as he encouraged her to pursue sports. She started with archery but found her true passion in Rifle shooting.
Remarkable Journey of Avani Lekhara
Lekhara’s dedication and backbreaking work paid off when she made history in the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020. She won a gold medal in the 10-metre standing rifle event and set a Paralympic record of 249.6 points. This achievement made her the first Indian woman to win a Paralympic gold medal. She also defended a bronze medal in the 50-metre rifle in the same event. This accomplishment built her a female personality who won two medals in a single Paralympic game.
Continuing her painstaking journey, Avani won a gold medal in the 10-meter air rifle standing event at the Paris Summer Paralympics. Now she is a unique Indian woman to win many gold medals in consecutive Paralympics. This expedition cemented her status as a trailblazer among Indian athletes.
Paris Paralympics is a new hope for Indians after the Olympics, Avani Lekhara is the first gold medal success in the new day. Indian athletes performed well in the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020. So, there is the same hope for 2024.
Collection of Prestigious Honors and Awards
Her achievements have been recognized with several awards including Khel Ratna, in 2021. She was honoured by Padma Shree in 2022, for her outstanding contribution to sports. There are other accolades too like Vogue Woman of the Year and Best Female Debut in Paralympics by the International Paralympic Committee. In addition to these awards, she has also been BBC India’s change-maker of the year.
Avani Lekhara is ranked no. 1 in the world, in women’s 10 metre Air Rifle SH1 according to World Shooting Para Sports rankings. Beyond her sports achievements, she is appointed as an assistant conservator of the forest by the Government of Rajasthan. This wandering demonstrates her versatility and hard work to make positive impacts in various fields.
Non-Sports Achievements of Lekhara
Currently, the Athlete woman is pursuing a law degree at Rajasthan University. She is good at balancing her sports career with study. Her story is a testament to resilience and determination and motivating people around the globe. Avani continues to break barriers and there is no challenge that is insurmountable for her.
