Meet Mona Agarwal, Sikar Shooter Who Won Her First Paralympic Medal

New Delhi: Mona Agarwal has etched her name in the history books by clinching the bronze medal in the 10m Air Rifle SH1 category. Indian contingent consists 84 athletes at the Paris Paralympics 2024. Following the wonderful performances by Indian shooters like Manu Bhaker and Swapnil Kusale at the Paris Olympics, several athletes are also performing exceptionally well at the Paris Paralympics 2024. With Avani Lekhara securing gold and Mona Agarwal clinching bronze, India’s campaign has gotten off to a perfect start.

Born in Rajasthan and living with polio from an early age, para-shooter Mona Agarwal is celebrated for her determination. She made her international debut at the World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, in July 2023. Agarwal won gold at the Para World Cup in Changwon, Korea, in April 2024. For the Paris Paralympics, she secured her quota place by winning gold at the WSPS Para Shooting World Cup in New Delhi in March 2024. Now in the limelight alongside Avani Lekhara, this is Agarwal’s debut Paralympics, and she has already made a significant impact.

Name: Mona Agarwal (KIA & NCOE)
Date of Birth: 8th November 1987
Home: Sikar, Rajasthan
Discipline: Para Shooting
Event: R2 -Women’s 10m Air Rifle SH1 R8 – Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Position SH1 R6 – Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1
Training Base: Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, New Delhi / Eklavya Sports Academy
Disability Class: SH1 (For Rifle- lower limb impairment e.g. amputations or paraplegia but with the ability to hold their gun without difficulty and shoot from a standing or sitting position)

The story of Mona Agarwal is one of grit and determination-her leaving home at the tender age of 23 to live a life independent of shackles, excelling in HR and marketing despite enormous physical challenges. In 2016, she shifted her focus to para athletics; she started competing in state-level throw events, winning gold medals in all three categories. She has also participated in state-level para powerlifting in multiple categories.

Apart from athletics, Mona is the trendsetter for sitting volleyball for women in India. As the captain, she led the Rajasthan State team to gold in the first National Sitting Volleyball Championship for women in 2019. Though selected for an international tournament, she could not take part in it due to her pregnancy.

An individual sport, getting into the sport of rifle shooting in December 2021, the talent of Mona was not long in surfacing. She won a national silver in 2022, and by mid-2023, Mona had won a bronze medal in the mixed team event at her maiden international World Cup and finished 6th at the 4th Asian Para Games.