3 Chandigarh University Students to Represent India at the Paris Paralympics 2024

Adding another feather in the cap, three students from Chandigarh University will represent India at the Paris Paralympic Games 2024, which is underway since 28 August and concludes on 8 September. Bringing laurels both to CU and India, Aruna Tanwar in taekwondo, Palak Kohli in badminton and Yash Kumar in kayaking delivered back-to-back power-packed performances in national and international sports competitions, to secure berths in the Indian contingent of 84 athletes (the largest ever) for the Paris Paralympic Games.

Paralympian and Chandigarh University (CU) student, Aruna Tanwar, won the gold medal at the Asian Para Taekwondo Qualifiers Championship held in Tai'an, China, in March 2024, securing her berth for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Tanwar is representing India at the Paralympics for the second time; riding on her power-packed performances, she had made a wild card entry at the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020.

Earlier, Aruna Tanwar, who participates in the K43 category (athletes with an impairment or amputation of both arms below the elbow), bagged the gold medal in the women's 47 kg weight category, during the Asian Paralympics tournament. A farmer's daughter from a small village in Haryana, Aruna Tanwar has consistently demonstrated exceptional skills in taekwondo, leaving a mark with her impeccable game sense and powerful performances. She had her life-changing moment when she qualified for the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 as the first-ever para taekwondo player from India. Prior to this, Aruna won bronze medals at the 5th Asian Para Open Taekwondo Championship and 8th World Para Taekwondo Championships in 2019, respectively.

In 2018, Aruna bagged a gold at Kimunyong International Para Taekwondo Open. Additionally, she secured silver medals in the 4th Asian Para Taekwondo Championships and the 3rd WT President's Cup Asian Region Para Taekwondo Championships, held in the same year. Continuing her impressive streak, Aruna — on February 16, 2023 — won another silver medal at the Egypt Para Taekwondo Championship held in Cairo, Egypt.

Palak Kohli (22), a badminton prodigy and student of BBA at Chandigarh University, who will be representing India at the Paralympics, won the bronze medal at the World Para Badminton Championship at Pattaya, in February 2024, and is all set to showcase her sporting prowess at the Paris Paralympics 2024. Kohli also won the gold medal at BWF Dubai Para Badminton. She also won the gold medal and silver medal at the National Para Badminton Championship held in March 2024. 22-year-old Kohli, who originally hails from Jalandhar, has been playing badminton from the age of 16, honed her sporting skills at Chandigarh University and went on to win medals on national and international platforms.

Yash Kumar (23), a para kayaking sensation and student of BA (1st year) at Chandigarh University, will represent India for the first time at the Paralympic Games. Yash, who is a native of Madhya Pradesh, will represent India in the Men's Single 200 metres in the KL1 category (paracanoe paddlers who have very limited or no trunk function and no leg function).

Delivering an emphatic performance, Yash won the gold medal and silver medal at the Asian Para Kayaking Championship held in Japan, in April 2024, securing a berth in the Indian contingent for the Paralympic Games in Paris. Earlier, Yash won the bronze medal at the Asian Para Kayaking Championship in 2023. He attained 4th place at the Asian Championship in 2022 and participated in the World Para Kayaking Championship. He has won 3 gold medals in National Para Kayaking Championships and 8 medals, in total, in different national and international competitions.

Earlier, five students from Chandigarh University represented India at the Paris Olympics 2024, and now, three para athletes would add the jewel in the crown of that achievement.

Chandigarh University has been serving as a beacon of academic excellence, but its prowess is not restricted merely to academics; it transcends far beyond the classroom and delves deep into the world of sports as well. CU athletes have won 134 medals in national and international competitions in 2023–24.

Delivering emphatic performances in different sporting disciplines at the Asian Games in 2023, CU students have won medals in hockey, boxing, table tennis, wrestling, archery and rugby and made a significant contribution to the overall medal tally of India. Led by CU student Pawan Kumar Sehrawat, who is the captain of the Indian kabaddi team, India scripted a new history by winning the gold medal at the Asian Games, after a long gap of 8 years.

With the highest representation of 22 players in the Indian contingent of 653 players to the Asian Games, CU students made invaluable contributions to India's overall medal tally of 107 medals, by winning 8 gold and 2 bronze medals. Ace Indian bowler Arshdeep Singh, another product of CU, has emerged as an invaluable asset for the Indian Cricket team and has given a new dimension to Indian bowling, shining bright at the T20 Cricket World Cup, leading the tally with 17 wickets in a single edition of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Chandigarh University has secured the 1st rank by winning 32 gold, 18 silver and 21 bronze medals at the Khelo India University Games 2024. CU has also achieved the unique distinction of becoming the youngest university to clinch the top spot, since the inception of the Khelo India Games. CU has also won the overall championship trophy in the All-India Inter-University Rowing Championship - 2023.

Congratulating the students for remarkable performances, based on which they secured berths in the Indian contingent to the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Chancellor of Chandigarh University, Satnam Singh Sandhu, said, "I wish good luck to the students who are going to represent India at the Paralympic Games. It indeed is a proud moment for Chandigarh University and the country, as 3 of our students are going to represent India at the Paralympic Games in Paris. The pursuit of excellence at Chandigarh University is not only restricted to academics, but it's also transcending far beyond the classroom settings and laboratories, to delve deep into the world of sports, and nurturing and honing the sporting prowess of budding athletes to transform them into national and international achievers in the firmament of sports is an integral part of the ecosystem nurtured here. As a result, students from Chandigarh University have been excelling at national and international sports competitions." "Apart from the state-of-the-art sports infrastructure and professional coaches who hone the talent of athletes, Chandigarh University has allocated a budget of Rs. 8.5 crore this year to ensure sports development in the campus. This also includes the Major Dhyan Chand Scholarship of Rs 3.84 Crore," the Chancellor added.

CU provides modern sports infrastructure and equipment, and budding athletes are trained under the watchful eye of professional coaches and experienced trainers. Apart from this, CU also provides financial assistance to sportspersons in the form of monthly scholarships. Currently, 1183 students including 562 girls, have been availing scholarship at CU, out of which 407 students are getting 100% scholarship. These students get free special diets and sports kits; expenses to visit sports competition venues, coaching expenses, hostel and other facilities are all borne by the CU.

About Chandigarh University Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+ Grade University and QS World Ranked University. This autonomous educational institution is approved by UGC and is located near Chandigarh in the state of Punjab. It is the youngest university in India and the only private university in Punjab to be honoured with A+ Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). CU offers more than 109 UG and PG programs in the field of engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce, and others. It has been awarded as The University with Best Placements by WCRC.