Sharmila Dhankar etched her name into Indian sporting history on Monday after becoming the country’s first-ever Commonwealth Games para athletics gold medallist in the women’s shot put F57 event at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Shilpa Shyla added a bronze medal to India’s tally
Dhankar produced a season-best throw of 9.81 metres to clinch gold, while Shyla registered a personal-best effort of 7.26 metres to take bronze, marking the first time India has won two medals in the same para athletics event at the Commonwealth Games.
The result also ended India’s 20-year wait for a para athletics medal at the Games and added another golden chapter to the country’s campaign in Glasgow.
Sharmila Dhankar’s remarkable journey
Dhankar’s triumph is the culmination of years of perseverance through personal and physical adversity.
Born into a farming family in Haryana’s Chhithroli village, she contracted polio at the age of two after suffering a high fever. Despite completing her education, life presented further challenges through an early marriage and domestic violence before she rebuilt her life with the support of her family.
Now married to businessman Ajit Singh from Rewari, Dhankar credits her husband for introducing her to para athletics in 2020.
Under coach Tek Chand, she rapidly emerged as one of India’s leading F57 throwers, winning the national title in 2021 before establishing herself on the international circuit with multiple medals and national records.
Although her Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham 2022 ended without a medal, the 40-year-old returned stronger to deliver the biggest moment of her career in Glasgow.
Shilpa Shyla joins historic podium
Shilpa Shyla also delivered one of the finest performances of her career, securing bronze with a personal-best throw of 7.26m. She was initially declared fourth but after a disqualification of Nigeria’s Eucharia Iyiazi, she was upgraded to the third place.
Hailing from Bengaluru, Shyla lost the use of one leg in a road accident when she was four years old.
Growing up in a financially modest household, she found sport through para volleyball before eventually switching to para athletics under coach Eshan S. D.
Her medal not only rewarded years of hard work but also ensured India celebrated an unprecedented double finish in the event.
India continues medal surge
Dhankar’s gold became India’s second gold medal of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, while Shyla’s bronze added another medal to the country’s growing tally.
More importantly, the achievement represents a watershed moment for Indian para athletics.
For the first time, India has:
- Won a Commonwealth Games gold medal in para athletics.
- Produced a woman para athletics medallist at the Games.
- Secured two medals in the same para athletics event.
The historic performances underline the growing strength of India’s para sports programme, with Dhankar and Shyla delivering one of the defining moments of the country’s campaign in Glasgow.