India Shines at Paris Paralympics: Golden Start in Shooting

Avani Lekhara, an Indian para-athlete, achieved historic shooting achievements in the women's 10m air rifle (SH1) event, setting a new Paralympic record with a score of 249.7. She became the first Indian to claim successive gold medals and won a third medal overall.

Historic Shooting Achievements

Avani Lekhara defended her gold medal in women's 10m air rifle (SH1)
- Set a new Paralympic record with a score of 249.7
- Became the first Indian to claim successive Paralympic gold medals
- Third Paralympic medal overall (2 gold, 1 bronze)
Mona Agarwal won bronze in the same event
- First Paralympic podium finish with a score of 228.7
Double podium finish: A first for India in Paralympics
Manish Narwal secured silver in the men's air rifle event

Avani Lekhara's Remarkable Journey

Born on November 8, 2001, in Jaipur, Rajasthan
Paralyzed below the waist at age 11 due to a car accident
Started shooting in 2015, winning first gold at National Championship

Notable achievements:

- 2017: Silver at AI Ain World Cup, Bronze at Bangkok World Cup
- 2018: Three gold medals at World Shooting Para Sport World Cup
- 2020 Tokyo Paralympics: Gold (10m air rifle) and Bronze (50m rifle)
- 2024 Paris Paralympics: Gold (10m air rifle)

Awards and recognition:

- 2021: Khel Ratna Award
- 2022: Padma Shri
- Young Indian of the Year by GQ India
- Best Female Debut at Paralympic Awards

Other Paralympic Successes

Preethi Pal: Bronze in Women's T25-100m event
- First Indian para-athlete to achieve this feat
Manish Narwal: Silver in Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 event
Mona Agarwal: Bronze medal victory
Overall strong performance by Indian contingent on day one

Celebrity Reactions

Bollywood stars celebrated the athletes' achievements on social media
Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Sonali Bendre, Jackky Bhagnani, Sonu Sood, and Rakul Preet Singh congratulated the winners
Messages of pride and inspiration shared across platforms

James Anderson Knighthood

The James Anderson knighthood marks a historic moment in the world of cricket. England’s legendary fast bowler James Anderson was formally knighted on 28 October 2025 during an investiture c

India Asian Youth Games 2025

The India Asian Youth Games 2025 was hosted in Bahrain, at the prestigious Isa Sports City Arena in Riffa. The Asian Youth Games Bahrain 2025 brought together athletes aged 14 to 18 years from acr

Commonwealth Games 2030

India is all set to host the Commonwealth Games 2030, marking a historic moment as the country prepares for the centenary edition of this prestigious multi-sport event. Ahmedabad has been chosen a

U20 World Cup 2025 highlights

In a historic moment for African football, Morocco makes history by emerging as the U20 World Cup champions after defeating Argentina U20 2-0 in the FIFA U20 final held in Chile on October 19

Commonwealth Games 2030

The Commonwealth Games 2030 has entered a historic phase as Ahmedabad in India has been recommended as the host city by the Commonwealth Sport’s Executive Board. This prestigious decision, i

68th Commonwealth Parliamentary 2025

The 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC 2025) is currently being held in Bridgetown, Barbados, from 5 to 12 October 2025. The conference is a significant parliamentary summit that brin

Mirabai Chanu Secures Silver Medal

Mirabai Chanu made a remarkable comeback in international weightlifting by securing the Silver Medal in the women’s 48 kg category at the 2025 World Weightlifting Championships held in F&o

Grandmaster Iniyan P Triumphs

The world of Indian chess witnessed a thrilling spectacle recently as Grandmaster Iniyan P from Tamil Nadu emerged victorious at the 62nd National Chess Championship held at Vignan’s Univers

India’s U-17 Football Team Wins

India’s U-17 Football Team added another significant achievement to its growing list of accolades by winning the 7th SAFF U-17 Championship in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on September 27, 2025. The

Smriti Mandhana Fastest ODI Century

Indian cricket star Smriti Mandhana has once again etched her name in cricketing history by scoring the fastest century ever by an Indian in ODI cricket. On 20 September 2025, during the 3rd ODI a