Who is Kapil Parmar? India's First Para-Judo Medal Winner who used to run a Tea Stall

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India's Para athlete Kapil Parmar has defeated Elielton de Oliveira of Brazil via IPPON to win the bronze medal in the Paris Paralympics 2024 on Thursday (September 5).

Parmar won in the 60kg J1 category Bronze medal match. With the victory, Kapil created history by winning India's first-ever medal in Para Judo at the Paralympics. This was also India's first-ever time qualification in the discipline.

Who is Kapil Parmar?

Date of Birth: June 23, 2000
Home Location: Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Training Base: Indian Blind and Para Judo Academy, Lucknow
Disability Class: J1 (Vision impairment must result in visual acuity of less than or equal to LogMAR 2.6 in binocular vision)

Kapil Parmar hails from Shivor, a small village in Madhya Pradesh. He is the youngest among four brothers and a sister. His father drives a taxi, while his sister manages a primary school. Kapil's middle brother, who practices judo, often trains with him.

As a child, Kapil experienced a life-changing accident. While playing in the fields, he touched a water pump and received a severe electric shock. A villager found him unconscious and took him to the hospital in Bhopal, where he remained in a coma for six months.

After recovering from his accident, doctors advised Kapil to gain weight. During this period, he discovered blind judo through the encouragement of his mentor and coaches, Bhagwan Das and Manoj Sir. They motivated him to pursue the sport competitively.

Kapil's Financial Hardships

Kapil has faced numerous hardships throughout his life. To support themselves financially, he and his brother used to run a tea stall. Even now, his brother Lalit remains his main source of financial support, helping him continue his judo journey.

Kapil Parmar Career Achievements

Despite his early setback, Kapil's passion for judo never diminished. He has achieved significant milestones in his career. In 2023, he won a silver medal at the Asian Para Games. He also secured gold medals at the Commonwealth Championships in 2019 and various IBSA Judo Grand Prix events held in Antalya (2024), Tbilisi (2024), and Alexandria (2023). Additionally, he earned a bronze medal at the IBSA World Games in 2023.

• Asian Para Games 2022 (2023) - Silver Medal
• Commonwealth Championships (2019)- Gold Medal
• IBSA Judo Grand Prix Antalya (2024) - Gold Medal
• IBSA Judo Grand Prix Tbilisi (2024) - Gold Medal
• IBSA Judo Grand Prix Alexandria (2023) - Gold Medal
• IBSA World Games (2023) - Bronze Medal
• Paris Paralympics (2024) - Bronze Medal

The government has played a crucial role in supporting Kapil's training and competition needs. He has received financial assistance for training and competitions abroad. This includes seven foreign exposures in countries like Kazakhstan, Georgia, Japan, Germany, Turkey, and China.