In 2019, in R2 at the WSPS World Cup in Osijek, she won a silver medal. At XIX Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Shooting Championship, New Delhi in 2019, she won a silver medal. In 2019, at 63rd National Shooting Championships, Bhopal, she clinched a bronze medal. Avani is a double gold medalist at the Paralympics, having won the 10m rifle event the 2020 Paralympics as well as the 2024 source Paralympics. “The extraordinary athletes who have been recognised through this initiative have not only excelled in their sports but have also inspired young women to pursue their dreams fearlessly.”
Her consistent excellence in para-shooting has also earned her titles such as the Para Athlete of the Year (Female) in 2024. These awards highlight her significant contributions to Indian sports and her role as a trailblazer in Paralympic shooting. For people living with disabilities in India, a major point of debate and legislation for decades has been access — to infrastructure, services, and assistance. Against this background, it is quite remarkable that Avani Lekhara, India’s first female Paralympic gold medallist, was introduced to this sport thanks to this very thing — access. The sport happened to me quite by chance,” Lekhara tells Sportstar, while on the road from Jaipur to New Delhi for the national camp. Avani was born in the “Pink City” Jaipur of Rajasthan, India in a financially wealthy family to Praveen Lekhara (father) and Shweta Lekhara (mother).
Elsewhere on the BBC
Despite the challenges, her family encouraged her to pursue sports, eventually leading her to shoot a rifle. Avani Lekhara’s achievements have garnered widespread recognition and acclaim. Her exceptional contributions to the world of sports have earned her numerous prestigious awards and honors. In 2021, she was bestowed with the Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honor. She was also recognized as the Young Indian of the Year by GQ India and received the Vogue Women of the Year award from Vogue Magazine. The International Paralympic Committee honored her with the Best Female Debut award at the Paralympic Awards.
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- At the age of 11, she was involved in a car accident that severely injured her spinal cord which resulted in the paralysis of body parts below the waist.
- In a historic moment, Avani became the first Indian woman to win a Paralympic gold medal, earning this remarkable feat at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.
- Born on November 8, 2001, Avani Lekhara is currently 23 years old as of 2025.
- This amazing achievement not only guaranteed her the gold medal but also set a new Paralympic record, so highlighting her great talent and effort.
- But how hard can it be to shoot while sitting in a wheelchair?
- So we decided to get the gall bladder removed in March this year.
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Avani Lekhara: The wunderkind of Indian para shooting
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When she resumed going to school in a wheelchair in 2014, it was a new experience. “I made new friends, opened up, and got a lot of confidence. When I started shooting a year later, life started looking up again,” she says. Avani Lekhara, born on 8 November 2001, is currently in her early twenties. At such a young age, she has achieved remarkable success and serves as an inspiration to aspiring athletes worldwide. “The first time I went to the range, I got 10–20 shots in the black circle.
The government’s commitment to nurturing talent in para sports has been a cornerstone of Avani’s success, enabling her to excel on the global stage and inspire countless others with disabilities. Avani Lekhara’s professional journey is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Inspired by former Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, she embarked on her shooting career in 2015. Her dedication and talent quickly propelled her to the forefront of the sport. In a historic moment, Avani became the first Indian woman to win a Paralympic gold medal, earning this remarkable feat at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.
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