Hailing from Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, Kapil Parmar overcame significant challenges to claim bronze in the men's 60kg (J1) category at the Paris Paralympics 2024 on Thursday.
Kapil Parmar, who endured a tragic childhood accident, made history by becoming the first Indian judoka to win a medal at the Paris Paralympics 2024. Hailing from Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, the 23-year-old overcame significant challenges to claim bronze in the men's 60kg (J1) category on Thursday. Parmar secured his victory by decisively defeating Brazil's Elielton de Oliveira in the bronze play-off, marking the pinnacle of his career after years of perseverance.
🥋: Men's J1 - 60 Kg Medal🥉 Match 🇫🇷 debutant Kapil Parmar clinches a historic 🥉, beating Brazil's🇧🇷 Elielton de Oliveira 10-0 via an Ippon.
It is also a first-ever medal🏅 for India🇮🇳 in in the history of… pic.twitter.com/25xhp8eM7K
As a young boy, Parmar experienced a life-changing event when he was electrocuted while playing in the fields of his village, accidentally touching a water pump. Despite the odds, he rose to become an accomplished para-athlete.
He was discovered unconscious by a villager and rushed to the hospital, where he spent six months in a coma. His eyes were severely damaged, and he now competes in the J1 category, reserved for athletes with 90 percent or more vision loss.
The youngest of four brothers and a sister, Parmar's family has humble roots. His father works as a taxi driver, while his sister operates a primary school.
Despite this life-altering incident, Parmar never abandoned his passion for judo. Guided by his coach Munawar Azar, he embraced blind judo. To help support his family, Parmar also ran a tea stall with his brother Lalit, who continues to be his biggest inspiration and main financial support.
A very memorable sporting performance and a special medal!
Congratulations to Kapil Parmar, as he becomes the first-ever Indian to win a medal in Judo at the Paralympics. Congrats to him for winning a Bronze in the Men's 60kg J1 event at the ! Best wishes for his… pic.twitter.com/JYtpEf2CtI
Parmar hopes that his historic medal will elevate the profile of the sport in India.
"I am currently world number one and top seed, so I had come with gold medal in mind. But it was not my day and had to settle for bronze. I am feeling proud to have won first para judo medal for the country," he said.
"It is a sport not many people still don't know. Hope my medal inspires para sport. It's a difficult journey but I have made my country and parents proud. I dedicate this medal to my coach Munawar Azar," said an emotional Parmar.
The J1 class in para judo is designated for athletes with very limited to no visual acuity. Competitors in this category wear red circles to signal that they may require guided support before, during, and after their matches.
Parmar, who secured a silver medal in this category at the 2022 Asian Games, had defeated Venezuela's Marco Dennis Blanco 10-0 in the quarterfinals of this event.