Sharmila Dhankhar won the gold medal in the Women's Para Shot Put F57 event at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games [1, 2].
The victory marks a historic milestone for Indian sports, as it is the first para-athletics gold medal for India at the Commonwealth Games [3].
Dhankhar, a para shot putter from Rewari, Haryana, secured the top spot on the podium during day five of the competition in Glasgow, Scotland [1, 4]. Her performance contributed to a successful day for the Indian delegation, which bagged six medals in total on the fifth day of the Games [4].
Following the win, Dhankhar dedicated the medal to her mother. She described the achievement as a dream come true, celebrating a personal triumph over early-life challenges, including poverty and polio [1, 5].
"I am extremely happy to win a medal for my country. I feel really proud," Dhankhar said [6].
The athlete's journey from Rewari to the gold medal stand in Scotland highlights her resilience in the face of physical and socioeconomic adversity. Her victory in the F57 category underscores the growing competitiveness of India's para-athletics program on the international stage.
“India's first para-athletics gold medal at the Commonwealth Games”
Dhankhar's gold medal represents a breakthrough for India in para-athletics at the Commonwealth level. By securing the nation's first gold in this category, she establishes a precedent for future athletes and signals an increase in the global viability of India's specialized training programs for para-athletes.
