Meet Nitesh Kumar, The IIT Graduate Who Won Gold Medal on Paralympics Debut – News18

Nitesh Kumar’s story is that of perseverance. Monday was just another example of his sheer will and determination that saw him become a gold medallist on his Paralympic debut. The 29-year-old became the third ever Indian shuttler to win a gold medal at the quadrennial spectacle when he defeated Great Britain’s Daniel Bethell in men’s singles SL3 event of the Paris Paralympics 2024.

Nitesh won in three games – 21-14, 18-21, 23-21.

As a child, Nitesh loved football but in 2009, an accident in Vizag left him bedridden for months and it resulted in a permanent damage to his left leg.

The incident didn’t dampen his love for sports though which continued to grow and during his time at IIT-Mandi, he took a keen interest in badminton. He often competed against able-bodied peers during breaks from his studies.

Nitesh’s introduction to parasports came through a conference catering to individuals with disabilities.

In 2016, he represented the Haryana team at the Para Nationals in Faridabad, marking his debut in national-level competition where he won a bronze medal.

In the following year, Nitesh clinched silver in singles and bronze in doubles events in Bengaluru and then  created ripples when at the 2020 Nationals, he triumphed over Tokyo Paralympic medalists Pramod and Manoj to secure the gold.

Major Achievements

• Paris Paralympics (2024) – Gold Medal in MS
• Asian Para Games (2022) – Gold Medal in MD
• Asian Para Games (2022) – Silver Medal in MS
• Asian Para Games (2022) – Bronze Medal in XD
• Asian Para Games (2018) – Bronze Medal in MD
• World Championship (2024) – Bronze Medal in MS
• World Championship (2022) – Silver Medal in MS
• World Championship (2019) – Silver Medal in MD

Beyond national accolades, Nitesh has also showcased his prowess on the international stage, accumulating numerous medals in various tournaments.