From ventilator to podium: Bhagyashree Jadhav chases gold in para athletics

Bhagyashree Madhavrao Jadhav, once fighting for survival on a ventilator after a life-altering accident, has emerged as a top Indian para athlete. With multiple medals and Paralympic appearances, she now aims for gold at the IndianOil New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships.

HYDERABAD: Bhagyashree Madhavrao Jadhav’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Born and raised in the tranquil village of Honvadaj in Maharashtra’s Nanded district, her life changed forever in 2006 when a tragic accident left her with severe neurological injuries.

For months, she fought for survival on a ventilator, enduring grueling rehabilitation that tested her spirit. “I had to learn to live all over again,” she reflects in a chat with SAI media, the memory still raw but a testament to her resilience.

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Her family refused to let her give up. Encouraged to step into para-sports by her brother and loved ones, Bhagyashree’s world shifted in 2017 when she entered her first competition in the Mayor’s Cup in Pune. She stunned everyone by clinching two golds and a bronze, transforming despair into a fierce new purpose.

Since then, Bhagyashree has steadily built an international career as a shot putter competing in the F34 classification, a category for athletes with coordination impairments affecting their lower limbs. She won a silver medal at the 2022 Asian Para Games and represented India at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympics, where she was a proud flag bearer and finished fifth in the women’s shot put F34 event.

At 39, her fire burns brighter than ever. Following gold medals in shot put and javelin at the 2025 Khelo India Para Games, Bhagyashree is laser-focused on the IndianOil New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships, the biggest stage she has ever competed on at home. She trains relentlessly, refining her stability, release technique, and strength, using every session and competition to sharpen her performance.

“This stadium, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, is iconic for Indian athletics,” Bhagyashree says. “Competing here means everything to me. It’s where legends are made, and I want to showcase my best in front of the home crowd. Every throw is driven by the support of my family, my coaches, and the nation. I want to turn all that faith into a medal.”

Her journey, from fighting for every breath on a ventilator to competing among the world’s best, embodies the true spirit of determination. Now, standing on the brink of performing in front of her home crowd, Bhagyashree carries not just the hopes of a medal but the dreams of countless others inspired by her courage.

Every throw will be a powerful statement of resilience, an ode to the unwavering support that shaped her, and a testament to what sheer willpower and relentless training can achieve. At IndianOil New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships, she aims not only to win but to ignite a lasting spark of hope and pride for India’s para-sport future.