Sharmila Dhankar Celebrated for Historic Gold Medal Win at Commonwealth Games

A Hero's Welcome for Sharmila Dhankar

New Delhi, August 4: Sharmila Dhankar, a gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games, was warmly welcomed back at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday morning. She returned home after her impressive victory in the women's shot put F57 event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow.

Family, friends, and supporters gathered at the airport to honor the para-athlete's remarkable achievement, marking India's second gold medal at the Games.

Upon her arrival in Delhi, Sharmila expressed her joy, stating, “My family and the entire nation are thrilled. I will strive to keep them happy.”

Devendra Jhajharia, President of the Paralympics Committee of India, praised the 40-year-old athlete's inspiring journey, remarking, “Sharmila Dhankar has a unique story. Her perseverance and success illustrate that hard work can lead to becoming a world champion.”

Dhankar secured the gold medal with a season-best throw of 9.81 meters in the women's F57 shot put final, finishing well ahead of Ghana's Zinabu Issah, who earned silver with a throw of 8.65 meters. Nigeria's Eucharia Iyiazi took home the bronze with a distance of 8.19 meters, while fellow Indian Shilpa narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth.

This victory not only marked India's second gold medal at the Commonwealth Games but also highlighted the country's successful para-athletics campaign in Glasgow.

Sharmila's journey is a testament to resilience and determination. Hailing from Chitrauli village in Haryana, she contracted polio at the age of two, which affected one of her legs.

At 18, she married and faced years of physical and emotional abuse in her first marriage, enduring violence related to dowry demands and the birth of her two daughters. At 26, after another assault, she returned to her parents' home with her children, openly discussing her struggles with suicidal thoughts during that challenging time.

Her life took a positive turn when she married Ajit Singh at 28. He introduced her to para-athletics after discovering the sport in a newspaper and encouraged her to pursue it professionally. In a show of support, the family sold their house in 2023 to fund her training and competition costs.

Despite starting athletics at 34, Dhankar quickly ascended the ranks, becoming India's national champion in the F57 seated shot put in 2021 before achieving her greatest success with the Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow.

Her victory is one of the most inspiring narratives of the 2026 Commonwealth Games and underscores India's growing prominence in para-athletics on the global stage.