Rakesh Kumar (Paralympian)

Rakesh Kumar

Kumar in 2024
Personal information
Born	(1985-01-13) 13 January 1985 (age 40) Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Sport
Sport	Para-archery
Event	Compound
Coached by	Kuldeep Vedwan
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking	1 (2024)
Personal best	1399 WR PR (2024)
Medal record Men's compound para-archery Representing   India Paralympic Games 2024 Paris Mixed team World Championships 2023 Plzeň Mixed team 2025 Gwangju Individual Asian Para Games 2022 Hangzhou Mixed team 2022 Hangzhou Individual 2022 Hangzhou Team

Rakesh Kumar (born 13 January 1985) is an Indian compound para-archer. ^{[1] [2]} He won a bronze medal in the mixed team compound event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. ^[3] Kumar has also won gold medals at the 2022 Asian Para Games and the 2023 World Championships in the same event.

Career

He represented India at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, held in Tokyo, Japan. ^{[4] [5]} He won a gold medal in the men's compound open section of the 7th Fazza Para Archery World Ranking Tournament, which was held in Dubai in February 2021. ^{[6] [7]} Kumar is the highest-ranked compound archer in India with a world rankings of No. 1. ^[8]

Rakesh was part of the team that won a gold medal in the team competition at the European Circuit 2nd leg in the year 2018 and won a bronze medal in the mixed team event at the 5th Fazza Para Archery World Ranking Tournament in the year 2019. ^[4]

He was trained at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board's Sports Complex and he is native of Katra, Jammu. ^[9] In September 2021, the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha felicitated Rakesh Kumar for his performance in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. ^{[10] [9]}

He also represented India in the 2024 Paris Paralympics, in which he won the bronze medal in the mixed team compound open with Sheetal Devi.

See also

• India at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
• India at the 2024 Summer Paralympics

References

1. "KUMAR Rakesh". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
2. "From suicide attempts to winning gold medals: The inspiring journey of para-archer Rakesh Kumar". Times of India . 28 February 2021.
3. Sportstar, Team (14 August 2024). "India at Paris Paralympics 2024: Complete list of 84 athletes at Paralympic Games". Sportstar. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
4. "Archer Rakesh Kumar overcomes depression, ready to shine at Tokyo Paralympics". New Indian Express . 21 August 2021.
5. "Tokyo Paralympics: Archer Rakesh Kumar storms into pre-quarters, Shyam Sundar Swami bows out in Round 2". India Today. 28 August 2021.
6. "Gold for Rakesh, mixed doubles pair in Fazza world ranking tournament". Hindustan Times . 28 February 2021.
7. "Indian para-archers ensure one gold, two silver at Fazza World Ranking tournament". Hindustan Times . 25 February 2021.
8. ANI (21 August 2021). "Archer Rakesh Kumar overcomes depression, ready to shine at Tokyo Paralympics". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
9. "LG hands over rights certificates to tribals". Hindustan Times . 18 September 2021.
10. "उपराज्यपाल मनोज सिन्हा ने पैरा ओलिंपियन राकेश कुमार, ज्योति बालियान को सम्मानित किया" (in Hindi). Dainik Jagran. 18 September 2021.

External links

• Rakesh Kumar at World Archery
• Rakesh Kumar at the International Paralympic Committee