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{{short description|Indian paralympic archer}}
{{Undisclosed paid|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Pooja Khanna
| image = Pooja Khanna, 2018 (cropped).jpg
| birth_name = Pooja Khanna<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://worldarchery.org/news/143837/meet-pooja-indias-1st-paralympic-archer|title=Meet Pooja: India’s 1st Paralympic archer|first=Chris|last=Wells|date=9 September 2016|website=worldarchery.org|accessdate=27 June 2018}}</ref>
| fullname =
| nickname =
| nationality = [[India]]n
| residence =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|11|19|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Rohtak]], [[Harayana]], [[India]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| website =
| country = [[India]]
| sport = [[Archery]],
| event =
| disability = [[Poliomyelitis (Right Leg)]]
| disability_class =
| club =
| team =
| turnedpro =
| coach =
| retired =
| coaching =
| worlds =
| regionals =
| nationals =
| olympics =
| paralympics = Represented (2016)
| highestranking = 41 (2018)<ref name="worldarchery.org">{{cite web|url=https://worldarchery.org/athlete/2790/pooja-khanna|title=Pooja|website=World Archery|accessdate=27 June 2018}}</ref>
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Women's [[Archery]]}}
{{MedalCountry | [[India]] }}
{{MedalCompetition|Para National Archery Championship 2016}}
{{MedalGold|[[Rohtak]]| Recurve}}
| show-medals = yes
}}

'''Pooja Khanna''' is India's first ever [[Paralympic Games|Paralympic]] [[Archery]] player. She debuted at the [[2016 Summer Paralympics|2016 Rio Paralympics]] at the age of 25 and was the only archer from India among all 19 athletes sent to the Games. She secured a fifth-place in the final Paralympic Qualifier which secured India's spot in the 2016 Olympics under World Quota [[Recurve bow|Recurve]] Women Open in the [[Czech Republic]] 2016. Her Olympics journey ended at Round 32 after she failed to defeat Poland's [[Milena Olszewska]] by 2–6. She was able to secure a rank of 29 out of the 32 archers participating.<ref name=losesto>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/archery/rio-paralympics-2016-india-archery-pooja-khanna-loses-to-polands-milena-olszewska-6-2-in-womens-individual-recurve-round-of-32-match|title=Rio Paralympics 2016, India Archery: Pooja Khanna loses to Poland's Milena Olszewska 6-2 in Women's Individual Recurve Round of 32 match|date=2016-09-15|website=www.sportskeeda.com|language=en-us|access-date=2019-10-19}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Pooja Khanna was born in [[Rohtak district|Rohtak]], [[Haryana]] to parents who struggled by doing odd jobs for their living. Her father used to be a bin and scrap collector. On being not able to see her father's misery and financial inadequacy, she decided to venture into sports. She was diagnosed with [[Polio|Poliomyelitis]] during childhood. Her initial interest was in [[Shooting sports|Shooting]] but instead she pursued her career in [[Discus throw]] until 2014, when she finally switched to Archery.<ref name="auto"/> Because of her disability and their financial condition, her parents were against of their daughter taking up Archery, but eventually started supporting her.<ref name=odds>{{Cite web|url=https://thelogicalindian.com/story-feed/sports/pooja-khanna/|title=Discrimination, Disability, and Dreams: Pooja Khanna Overcame All Odds To Win|date=2016-12-18|website=The Logical Indian|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-19}}</ref> She was born to a [[Dalit]] family and during her training faced discrimination and [[untouchability]]. She completed her Masters degree in [[Library science|Library Sciences]] from [[Baba Mastnath University]], Rohtak. She is the eldest sibling out of four children.<ref name="auto"/>

== Career ==
Her journey in sports began with her love and passion for Shooting since childhood. Her original plan was to compete at the highest level in Shooting. She used to get trained in Shooting at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Rohtak, but left her dream to compete at the highest level, because of less future scope and high costs. After leaving Shooting, she started her career in Discus throw and continued with it for three years and even played games at higher levels. It was only until 2014, when she discovered her likeness and inclination towards Archery, and learnt it in just two and a half years.<ref name=odds/>

=== Rio Olympics, 2016 ===
The Rio 2016 Paralympics marked the first time in history that an Indian athlete competed in the Para-archery event. Pooja made it till the Round 32 where she was pitted against Poland's [[Milena Olszewska]]. The match had 4 sets, which started with Milena scoring 25 to Pooja's 22. The second set finished with Milena's 23 to Pooja's 21. In the third set, Pooja scored more than Milena which was 25-24. In the fourth set, Milena again defeated Pooja by scoring 23-22.<ref name="losesto" /> Pooja's overall score lead to her exit from her Olympics journey.

Pooja secured 29th spot out of 32 participants, whereas, Milena secured 4th spot.<ref name="losesto" />

== External links ==
*[https://worldarchery.org/athlete/2790/pooja-khanna Pooja Khanna] on WorldArchery

== References ==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khanna, Pooja}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1990 births]]
[[Category:Indian female archers]]

Pooja Khanna - Revision history

IsraelGuinn0047: created new stub w/ infobox