Introduction – Avani Lekhara is an India Para Rifle Shooter who won the gold medal in the women’s 10m air rifle SH1 at the Paris Paralympics 2024. Earlier, she also won the gold medal in the women’s 10m air rifle SHI event at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020. After winning the gold medal in the Paris Paralympics 2024, Avani Lekhara Avani became the first Indian woman to win two gold medals in shooting at the Paralympics Games.

Avani Lekhara also won the bronze medal in the para shooting in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SHI at the Tokyo Paralympics in the year 2020. The main achievement of Avani Lekhara is to win 3 paralympic medals including 2 gold medals and 1 bronze medal in para shooting and became the first Indian woman para shooter to win several medals in the Paralympics Games. Avani Lekhara also won 2 gold medals and 1 silver medal in the Para Shooting World Cup.

Personal Life – Avani Lekhara was born on November 8 in the year 2001 and belongs to Jaipur in the state of Rajasthan. Earlier, she suffered a car accident at the age of only 11 that may have caused paraplegia in her body. The father of Avani Lekhara motivates her to join sports in the shooting. During their childhoods, she studied in Kendriya Vidyalaya at Jaipur in the state of Rajasthan where she won the first gold medal in a regional match of shooting competitions. Avani Lekhara was inspired by earlier Olympic Gold Medalist shooting player; Abhinav Bindra and she started shooting in the year 2015 which was coached by Chandra Shekhar.

Achievements – Presently Avani Lekhara won the gold medal with a score of 249.7 points in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 at the Paris Paralympics 2024. Earlier, she won the gold medal with a score of 249.6 points in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020. Avani Lekhara also won the bronze medal in para shooting in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions standing SH1 at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020. After winning several medals, Avani Lekhara became the first Indian woman to win several medals including 2 gold medals and 1 bronze medal in the Paralympic Games.

Earlier, Avani Lekhara won the gold medal in the women’s 10m air rifle SH1 event at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou in the year 2022. The big achievement of Avani Lekhara to win the gold medal in para shooting in the women’s 10m air rifle SHI event at the Para Shooting World Cup in France in the year 2022. Avani Lekhara also won the gold medal in the women’s 50m air rifle 3 positions SH1 event at the World Cup in France in the year 2022. She also won the silver medal in the women’s 10m air rifle SH1 event at the Para Shooting World Cup in South Korea in the year 2022.

Awards – Two big awards that are received by Avani Lekhara are given below –

1. Khel Ratna Award – Avani Lekhara received the Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honor of India in the year 2021
2. Padma Shree – Avani Lekhara received Padma Shree, the fourth highest civilian award of India in the year 2022.

Avani Lekhara received several other awards including Best Female Debut (2021), Para Athlete of the Year (female) (2022), and many more.