The 33rd Olympic Games are set to officially begin on Friday, July 26, in Paris, although some competitions have already started before the opening ceremony. India has sent a strong contingent of 117 athletes to compete in various sports, and this time, there is hope for multiple gold medals. Among the Indian athletes, four from Uttarakhand will be vying for medals in different sports. Let’s take a closer look at these athletes who have caught the world’s attention.
Lakshya Sen
India’s star shuttler, Lakshya Sen, is a medal hopeful not just for Uttarakhand but for the entire nation. Lakshya clinched a gold medal in the men’s singles at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. He has qualified for the Paris Olympics by securing a place in the top 16. Hailing from Almora, Lakshya started playing badminton at the age of six. His father, D.K. Sen, is an international badminton coach and also his coach. Lakshya’s grandfather, C.L. Sen, was also a badminton player, and his elder brother, Chirag Sen, is an international player. Lakshya has won several national and international medals, and he was honored with the Arjuna Award in 2022.
Ankita Dhyani
Ankita Dhyani, from the remote Meruda village in Garhwal, will be making her Olympic debut. Competing in the women’s 5000 meters race, Ankita, along with Parul Chaudhary, is keeping India’s hopes alive for an Olympic medal. Ankita secured her ticket to the Paris Olympics through the World Ranking quota, achieving a ranking of 42. She started participating in national competitions from the 8th grade and has never looked back since. Ankita won a bronze medal in the 5000 meters race at the 60th Interstate Senior Athletics Championship. She also clinched a bronze medal in the 5000 meters at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championship and won gold in both the 5000 meters and 1500 meters events at the Indian Grand Prix. Ankita has accumulated a total of 11 gold, 15 silver, and bronze medals in her athletics career.
Paramjeet Bisht
Paramjeet Bisht, from Chamoli, will be seen in the Indian team for the Paris Olympics in race walking. Hailing from Khalla village in Mandal Valley, Paramjeet is an alumnus of the Government Inter College, Bairagna. Currently, he serves in the Indian Navy under the sports quota. Paramjeet qualified for the Paris Olympics by securing ninth place at the Asian Race Walking Championship held in Japan. He began his race walking training in 2017 under the guidance of coach Gopal Bisht. Paramjeet holds records in the Under-17 and Under-19 age categories of the School Games Federation of India and has won a gold medal at the Khelo India Games.
Suraj Panwar
Representing India in the mixed marathon walk, Suraj Panwar from Tehri will be another athlete to watch. Suraj has won several national and international medals and clinched a gold medal in the 5000 meters race at the 2018 Youth Olympics. He is the first Indian athlete to win a medal in track and field events at the Youth Olympics. Additionally, he competed in the 2017 Asian Athletic Championship held in Thailand and won a silver medal at the 2018 championship.
These athletes from Uttarakhand are set to make a mark at the Paris Olympics, bringing pride to their state and the country.
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