Prez honours MP para-athlete Pooja Garg

New Delhi: International para-athlete and cancer survivor Pooja Garg, a native of Indore in Madhya Pradesh, received the prestigious “Best Divyangjan” National Award from President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday, during the International Day of Persons with Disabilities ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar was present on the occasion.

MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav congratulated Pooja, calling her “the pride of Indore” and noting her historic achievement at Nathu La. “The state is proud of her. The government is committed to promoting sports and supporting sportspersons,” he said.

Pooja’s journey has been one of extraordinary grit. A severe spinal injury in her youth led to more than 13 surgeries and seven years of confinement to bed. Just as she began to recover, she was diagnosed with bone cancer—yet she defeated the disease and rebuilt her life from scratch.

Returning to sports, she went on to secure state and national gold medals in para shooting and represented India in international events in Japan, Uzbekistan and Thailand. At the Asian Para Canoe Championship 2024, she won two bronze medals for the country.

In 2024, Garg completed a rare 4,500-km motorcycle expedition from Indore to Nathu La Pass (14,140 ft), becoming the first woman with locomotor disability to hoist the Tricolour at the high-altitude border point. The feat earned recognition from the London Book of World Records.

Beyond sports, Pooja leads a charitable foundation, working nationwide on disability empowerment, women’s safety, cancer awareness, mental health, digital safety and child protection programmes.

Pooja said, “This honour is not just for me. It is for every person who has been underestimated. Disability is not a limitation; it is a different ability.”