A proud moment for India, a soldier has sealed his place in the Tokyo Paralympics 2020. Havildar Soman Rana would be competing in the seated shot put event in the F-57 category.
The intriguing thing about Shillong-based Rana is that he is without a leg. The soldier had lost his right foot during a mine blast in 2006 while serving the Indian Army. Since then, he has decided to become an athlete, as he trained at the Army Paralympic Node in Pune. He has already established himself in the international para-athlete circuit and is ranked second in the category.
Indian Army’s paralympic node
Rana, who was inducted into the Army Paralympic Node in 2017, is a second-ranked athlete internationally in this category. The node provides a platform for specially-abled soldiers to participate in para-sports and develop a positive outlook on life.
“Since its raising in 2017, para-athletes of the node have won 28 international medals and 60 national medals. They have represented and won medals for India in Asian Para Games, World Military Games, World Para Championship and World Grand Prix events,” said an Army statement issued through the Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO), Pune.
Havildar Soman Rana, a para athlete of the Army Paralympic Node, BEG & Centre, Kirkee has been selected for the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 in seated shot put, F 57 category.
Soman Rana is an international para athlete and stands second in world rankings in his category. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/0WnuBpz40y
— PRO Shillong, Ministry of Defence (@proshillong) July 28, 2021
Ministry of Defense tweet on Rana
This year, Rana won the gold at the Tunis World Para Athletics Grand Prix, along with a couple of golds and silver at the National Athletics Para Championship. Soman Rana has done our country proud and is an inspiration for many athletes in our country. He is a strong medal prospect to win a medal in the Tokyo Paralympics and the Indian tricolour will flutter on the Japanese soil.
