Avani Lekhara, a 22-year-old athlete born in 8 November 2001 from India, made history by being the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic gold medals. Lekhara began shooting in 2015, inspired by former Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra and has since won several national and international titles.
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| Avani Lekhara |
On Friday, she defended her title in the women’s 10m air rifle shooting standing SH1 event at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, making her the first Indian woman to win two golds in the Games’ history.
Avani scored 249.7 in the final, setting a new Paralympic record and surpassing her own previous record of 249.6, which she set three years ago at Tokyo 2020.
Hailing from Jaipur, Rajasthan, Avani's journey is a story of incredible resilience and determination. After a car accident in 2012 left her paralyzed from the waist down at age 11, her father encouraged her to take up sports as part of her recovery.
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| Avani Lekhara |
Avani quickly rose in the sport, setting world records at both junior and senior levels and establishing herself as a top para shooter. Alongside her sporting achievements, she is also pursuing a Law degree at the University of Rajasthan.
Her accolades include several prestigious awards:
- 2021: Khel Ratna Award
- 2021: Young Indian of the Year - GQ India
- 2021: Vogue Women of the Year - Vogue Magazine
- 2021: Best Female Debut - Paralympic Awards - International Paralympic Committee
- 2022: Padma Shri
- 2022: FICCI FLO Award for Excellence in Sports
- 2022: She - Age Award by Hindustan Times
- 2022: Para Athlete of the Year (Female) - Sportstar
- 2022: BBC India Change Maker Of The Year 2021
- 2022: BRICS CCI WE - Trailblazer
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| Avani Lekhara with Narendra Modi |
