How Nishad Kumar's knee injury sparked the quest for 2 gold medals at Asian Para Games

Nishad Kumar surprised everyone by winning 2 gold medals at the Asian Para Games. In an interview with IndiaToday.in, he discusses his unexpected double gold, the torch he bought for his father and the sacrifices that shaped his journey.

In Short

• Nishad won long jump gold despite limited experience in the event
• A knee injury prompted him to explore long jump before the Asian Para Games
• Nishad opens up on his childhood days and how he started his sporting caree

Nishad Kumar’s family expected him to defend his high jump gold at the Asian Para Games. So, when the broadcaster announced his name for the men’s T47 long jump event, the news came as a surprise to them, as it did to many others.

Only a handful of family members and members of the coaching staff knew that Nishad was going to compete in the event. To everyone else’s surprise, he dominated the competition and won gold in his maiden long jump appearance at a major event.

A day later, Nishad claimed his second gold medal in Japan, setting a Games record with a leap of 2.04m in the T47 high jump competition to defend his title.

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The unexpected double gold was made possible by a change in plans prompted by an injury. Nishad's knee had been troubling him for a year, forcing him to reduce his load in training.

In an interview with IndiaToday.in after his twin-gold medal win in Japan, Nishad explained how the injury prompted the change.

"I wanted to try out long jump because my knee was troubling me in high jump. We have to lean at 60 degrees at high jump, which was hurting my knee. You will notice that I have not really participated much in the long jump this season. So then we sat down and discussed if we can try out long jump instead," Nishad said.

"If you see my season, I did only two high jump competitions, in Anju Bobby George Open Nationals at the start of the season and then in the Muscat Open," he added.

The Muscat Open, an able-bodied competition held in September 2026, gave Nishad an opportunity to test himself in both events before the Asian Para Games. He finished fourth in the high jump and fifth in the long jump. The results offered some indication of what he could achieve, but the bigger priority was to reach Japan without aggravating his injury.

The long jump gold on October 19 made the decision worthwhile. Nishad had turned to the event because of a problem with his knee, but he left with a title in a discipline in which he had limited recent competition experience.

There was still the high jump to come. With his knee troubling him, Nishad and his team chose not to take unnecessary risks in the event where he was the defending champion.

A leap of 2.04m proved enough to secure the gold medal and a Games record. It was well below his personal best, but there was little reason to push for a higher jump once the title was secured.

"My entire season was dedicated to long jump. We had a good idea what jump was required to win the Para Asian Games gold. If I wanted I could have gone for a higher jump as well, but we played it safe," Nishad said.

It is fairly easy to guess which of the two gold medals was his favourite.

“I’m so happy. It’s fun to look at them, but now I have to keep turning my head from one medal to the other. I don’t even know which one to look at! Usually, there’s just one medal to focus on,” Nishad told IndiaToday.in, laughing.

GAS, SABZIS AND A MANJA

Nishad's journey to becoming a two-time Paralympic silver medallist and Asian Para Games champion began in Baduan village in Himachal Pradesh's Una district, where he was born in October 1999.

When he was around six years old, an accident on the family farm changed his life. His right hand got caught in an automatic fodder-cutting machine, resulting in the amputation of his right arm below the elbow.

The accident did not stop Nishad from finding his way into sport. Growing up in an area where he had plenty of exposure to the Indian Army, he became fascinated by the sight of Army personnel running together in the mornings. That inspired him to take up running, even though sport had not been a part of his family background.

His natural height and vertical jump soon set him apart, eventually prompting his transition towards the high jump.

Around 2016, recognising his potential, his parents sent the 17-year-old Nishad to the Panchkula Sports Complex in Haryana, where he began training under coach Naseem Ahmad.

It was his first time away from home, and Nishad arrived at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium with little idea of what life at a training centre would involve.

"I did not know how these things worked. So after getting selected, I landed in the Tau Devi Lal Stadium with gas, sabzis, bed (manja), and I said that I was ready to train. But my coaches took me under their wing and said do not worry, we are going to take care of you. So I had to sell several things," Nishad laughed.

"I dedicated two years there. I sacrificed everything during that time. If I would not have given myself those two years, I would not have been here," he added.

Those early years demanded that Nishad learn to live away from home and commit himself to training. The boy who arrived at the stadium carrying his own cooking gas, vegetables and bed gradually built a career that took him to the Paralympic podium.

Nishad has since won two silver medals at the Paralympics and three gold medals at the Asian Para Games, establishing himself among India's leading para-athletes.

His performances in Japan could also open the door to competing in both events at the Los Angeles Paralympics, although that will depend on his preparation and fitness.

For all the heights he has reached in sport, Nishad speaks about his journey with gratitude rather than dwelling on what he has had to overcome.

"I started doing long jump while in school. I did not know that I would be able to reach these heights. God took something away from me, but he has given back so much in return," Nishad said.

THE GIFT HE WANTS TO TAKE HOME

Nishad's connection with home has remained important even as his career has taken him around the world. After winning a medal at the Paris Paralympics, he decided to buy a gift for his father.

At Dubai airport, where travellers often look for gold jewellery, iPhones and gadgets at bargain prices, Nishad had a different goal. He wanted to buy the biggest torch he could find.

"My father is a farmer. He goes at night to check if there are animals destroying the farm or not. So I went around the Dubai airport to get the biggest torch I could find," Nishad said, laughing.

With two gold medals won in Japan, the question was whether he would be taking another torch home this time.

Nishad had a different answer.

"This time I am taking 2 gold medals from Japan."

- Ends