Khelo India: How para athletes touched a chord in Asiad gold-medallist Samra

Today was a special experience for Sift Kaur Samra, a double gold-medallist shooter at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

A star guest at the awards ceremony of the inaugural Khelo India Para Games in Delhi, she was there on 12 December to give away medals on the third day of the para athletes' meet. Calling it a sobering experience, Samra said it would serve as inspiration in her pursuit of glory in the Paris Olympics 2024.

After boxing legend Mary Kom and Fit India influencer Sangram Singh gave away some medals at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, it was Samra's turn to do the honours at the para powerlifting event.  

Speaking on the sidelines of the Games, Samra — the 22-year-old from Punjab who bettered the world record in the women’s 50m 3P Rifle event on her way to gold at Hangzhou — said: “The experience to give away medals at the Khelo India Para Games is special. Initially, I wondered if I was inspirational enough to do this, but then I just soaked in the moment." 

“This actually turned out very inspiring for me," Samra added. "I will take this forward with me to the Paris 2024 Olympics. For me as well as the para athletes here, this is a great moment and a platform looking forward to Paris 2024. I found raw dedication in all of them.”  

The world record holder (with a score of 469.6 points after 15 shots at the 50m 3P Rifle event) had been one of the brightest prodigies to have transitioned from TOPS (the Target Olympics Podium Scheme) to the Khelo India scholarship. “The Khelo India scheme has remained instrumental in my growth," said Samra. "Now I’m sure the Khelo India Para Games will give birth to more para athletes and further boost the sports ecosystem of the nation.”  

“Going forward now, I feel more athletes from the para sports fraternity will get inspiration from these current competitors and the next editions of the Games will be even better and brighter,” Samra added. 

The current year has seen Samra hit a purple patch, as she clinched two gold medals at the World University Games in Chengdu in early August too. She followed it up with two bronze medals in the last World Cup in Baku, and that was good enough for her to earn a ticket to Paris 2024.  

Last year in the Junior World Cup, she had won one gold medal, two silvers and one bronze.

In an interview, Samra had said she had planned on quitting shooting last year to focus on her studies—in medicine. However, in the National Championship in Bhopal, she shot a national record — and the possibilities from that changed her mind!