Diagnosed with polio at six, Gujarat’s para powerlifter Maya Bhammar clinched silver at the 23rd Senior National Para Powerlifting Championship 2025–26, embodying resilience and inspiring a new generation of athletes amid growing recognition for adaptive sports in India.
Maya Bhammar a resident of Gujarat who contracted paralytic polio at around six years old has added a significant chapter to India’s para sports story by winning the silver medal at the recently concluded 23rd Senior National Para Powerlifting Championship 2025–26.
Held earlier this month, the event drew elite para powerlifters from across India, all competing under strict technical standards to define strength categories and proper lifts. In a field of formidable competitors, Maya’s performance stood out, earning her a runner-up finish in her respective weight class and a place on the national podium.
Organisers and sports officials praised her achievement, highlighting how her perseverance has helped not just her but also the visibility of para sports nationwide.
“Her grit reflects the true spirit of competitive sport – unyielding courage in the face of adversity,” said an official from the organising committee. While specific names were not publicly attributed in the coverage, the sentiment echoes broader recognition from para sports authorities.
Her medal comes at a time when India is steadily building momentum in adaptive sports, with increasing investment, training infrastructure, and participation at both national and international levels. The championship is seen as a critical stepping-stone for athletes aspiring to represent India at global events such as the Paralympics and Asian Para Games.
The Long Road: From Diagnosis to the National Podium
Maya’s introduction to sports was shaped by early medical adversity. Polio, a viral disease that can cause irreversible paralysis, left lasting effects on her mobility when she was a child. Yet, rather than let the diagnosis define her, she turned to adaptive physical activity, eventually gravitating toward the demanding discipline of powerlifting a sport that requires precision strength, intense training, and exceptional mental focus.
Before reaching the national stage, Maya balanced training with everyday life, including work as a teacher and previously as a delivery partner, roles that deepened her appreciation for hard work and discipline.
At the 23rd Senior National Para Powerlifting Championship, held under the aegis of national sporting bodies, Maya performed with determination in a competitive category that featured several experienced lifters. The exact figures from her lifts were not detailed in reports, but securing the silver medal confirms her second-place finish among highly skilled athletes.
Speaking to her coaches after the championship, Maya reflected on her journey with humility and hope, saying that each day of training brought her closer to realising her dream of wearing the national colours. “This medal isn’t just mine it’s for everyone who believed I could do it,” she told local reporters.
Officials also noted Maya’s achievement as evidence of how adaptive sport pathways are evolving in India, with regional training centres and national programmes starting to produce athletes capable of excellence through dedication and skill.
Para Sports in India: Growing Recognition, Persisting Challenges
Maya’s success is part of a larger movement in Indian sports. Over the past decade, para athletes from India have delivered remarkable performances on international platforms from the Paralympics to continental championships raising the profile of disability sports in the country.
The Government of India and various state associations have increasingly incorporated inclusive programmes under initiatives such as the Khelo India Para Games, special training grants, and targeted coaching efforts designed to expand participation and professional opportunities for differently-abled athletes.
However, experts and advocates say that more infrastructure, funding, and public awareness are needed, especially at the grassroots level. Many promising para athletes still face barriers such as limited access to specialised equipment, travel support and professional training facilities outside major urban centres.
Maya’s journey highlights both how far India has come in recognising para athletes and how much more remains to be done. Her rise to the national podium underscores the importance of supportive environments – from family and coach networks to institutional encouragement – in nurturing talent against the odds.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
At The Logical Indian, we celebrate Maya Bhammar not only for her medal but for her relentless spirit a testament to human resilience and adaptive excellence. Her story reminds us that sport is more than competition; it is a powerful vehicle for inclusion, dignity, and breaking stereotypes about ability and disability.
India’s journey in para sports reflects a broader social imperative: to create spaces where talent is recognised regardless of physical condition, and where every aspiring athlete can pursue their dreams without structural disadvantage.
Maya’s success invites us to rethink traditional notions of strength and achievement – and to ask if our policies, communities, and conversations are evolving to match the promise of our para champions.
