Nitesh Kumar Badminton Player: Lost leg in a train accident, studied from IIT… Who is Nitesh Kumar who created history in Paris Paralympics

Badminton player Nitesh Kumar won the gold medal by performing brilliantly in the Paris Paralympics. Nitesh defeated Daniel Bethell of Great Britain 21-14, 18-21, 23-21 in the final match of the Men’s Singles (SL3) category. Nitesh is the second Indian badminton player to win gold in the Paralympics. When para badminton debuted in Tokyo three years ago, Pramod Bhagat won the gold medal in this event. Players of the SL3 category have more serious disorders in the lower part of the body and they play on a court with half the width.

Nitesh’s journey has not been easy…

Nitish Kumar was born on 30 December 1994 in Bas Kirtan (Rajgarh Tehsil of Churu district) in Rajasthan. Nitish Kumar lost his left leg permanently after a train accident in Visakhapatnam in 2009. Nitish was only 15 years old at that time. Despite this tragic incident, Nitish Kumar did not panic and focused on his studies. He took a year off to prepare for the entrance exam of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

His hard work paid off and he got admission in IIT Mandi in 2013. While studying at IIT, he developed an interest in badminton and decided to become a para-athlete. Nitesh Kumar made his international debut in 2016 and won his first title at the Irish Para-Badminton International in 2017. He started working for the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs in 2019, but continued to participate in international tournaments. 30-year-old Nitesh has won three medals at the World Championships, including two silver and one bronze in 2019, 2022 and 2024 respectively.

29-year-old Nitesh Kumar has also won four medals in the Asian Para Games. This includes a bronze medal in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Para Games and three medals (one gold, one silver and one bronze) in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games. And now he has added a Paralympic gold medal to his medal record on Monday.

If we look at it, the number of medals of India in Paris Paralympics 2024 has now increased to 9. India has two gold, three silver and four bronze medals in its account so far. Before Nitesh Kumar, shooter Avni Lekhara had given India its first gold in Paris Olympics.

India’s medallists at Paris Paralympics 2024

1. Avani Lekhara (Shooting)- Gold Medal, Women’s 10m Air Rifle (SH1)

2. Mona Agarwal (Shooting) – Bronze Medal, Women’s 10m Air Rifle (SH1)

3. Preeti Pal (Athletics) – Bronze Medal, Women’s 100m Race (T35)

4. Manish Narwal (Shooting)- Silver Medal, Men’s 10m Air Pistol (SH1)

5. Rubina Francis (Shooting) – Bronze Medal, Women’s 10m Air Pistol (SH1)

6. Preeti Pal (Athletics) – Bronze Medal, Women’s 200m Race (T35)

7. Nishad Kumar (Athletics) – Silver Medal, Men’s High Jump (T47)

8. Yogesh Kathuniya (Athletics) – Silver Medal, Men’s Discus Throw (F56)

9. Nitesh Kumar (Badminton)- Gold Medal, Men’s Singles (SL3)