Created by RuebenFrankfurte
Last edited April 24, 2026

Rakesh Kumar
Kumar in 2024
Personal information
Born (1985-01-13) 13 January 1985 (age 41)
Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Sport
SportPara-archery
Event(s)Compound
Coached byKuldeep Vedwan
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking1 (2024)
Personal best(s)1399 WR PR (2024)

Rakesh Kumar (born 13 January 1985) is an Indian compound para-archer.[1][2] He won a bronze medal in the mixed team compound event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.[3] Kumar has also won gold medals at the 2022 Asian Para Games and the 2023 World Championships in the same event.

Career[edit | edit source]

He represented India at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, held in Tokyo, Japan.[4][5] He won a gold medal in the men's compound open section of the 7th Fazza Para Archery World Ranking Tournament, which was held in Dubai in February 2021.[6][7] Kumar is the highest-ranked compound archer in India with a world rankings of No. 1.[8]

Rakesh was part of the team that won a gold medal in the team competition at the European Circuit 2nd leg in the year 2018 and won a bronze medal in the mixed team event at the 5th Fazza Para Archery World Ranking Tournament in the year 2019.[4]

He was trained at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board's Sports Complex and he is native of Katra, Jammu.[9] In September 2021, the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha felicitated Rakesh Kumar for his performance in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.[10][9]

He also represented India in the 2024 Paris Paralympics, in which he won the bronze medal in the mixed team compound open with Sheetal Devi.

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "KUMAR Rakesh". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  2. ↑ "From suicide attempts to winning gold medals: The inspiring journey of para-archer Rakesh Kumar". Times of India. 28 February 2021.
  3. ↑ Sportstar, Team (14 August 2024). "India at Paris Paralympics 2024: Complete list of 84 athletes at Paralympic Games". Sportstar. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Archer Rakesh Kumar overcomes depression, ready to shine at Tokyo Paralympics". New Indian Express. 21 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "Tokyo Paralympics: Archer Rakesh Kumar storms into pre-quarters, Shyam Sundar Swami bows out in Round 2". India Today. 28 August 2021.
  6. ↑ "Gold for Rakesh, mixed doubles pair in Fazza world ranking tournament". Hindustan Times. 28 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "Indian para-archers ensure one gold, two silver at Fazza World Ranking tournament". Hindustan Times. 25 February 2021.
  8. ↑ ANI (21 August 2021). "Archer Rakesh Kumar overcomes depression, ready to shine at Tokyo Paralympics". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "LG hands over rights certificates to tribals". Hindustan Times. 18 September 2021.
  10. ↑ "उपराज्यपाल मनोज सिन्हा ने पैरा ओलिंपियन राकेश कुमार, ज्योति बालियान को सम्मानित किया" (in Hindi). Dainik Jagran. 18 September 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

External links[edit | edit source]