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Avani Lekhara Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 4, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth8 November 2001

Age22 Years

BirthplaceJaipur, Rajasthan, India

ProfessionPara Shooter

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - Praveen Lekhara; Mother - Shweta Lekhara; Brother - Arnav Lekhara

Avani Lekhara Biography

Avani Lekhara is an Indian Paralympic rifle shooter from Jaipur who has won multiple international medals, including Paralympic gold and bronze. She rose迅从

Early life and background

Avani Lekhara was born on 8 November 2001 in Jaipur, Rajasthan. She grew up in Jaipur and attended Kendriya Vidyalaya there before moving on to study law at the University of Rajasthan. Her parents, Praveen and Shweta Lekhara, both worked as state government tax officers. She has a younger brother named Arnav.

When she was 11 years old, Avani was involved in a road accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury and paraplegia. The accident changed the course of her life and athletic interests. After rehabilitation and encouragement from her family she tried archery before discovering a lasting passion for rifle shooting. She began formal shooting practice at the Jagatpura Sports Complex in Jaipur in 2015.

Career

Avani made her international debut in 2017 at the World Cup tournament in Al Ain, UAE. That year she earned a silver medal at the Al Ain Para Shooting World Cup and also won bronze at the Bangkok World Cup. Her performances drew national attention and she received the Rising Star award from the Chief Minister of Rajasthan in 2017.

Domestically and internationally she has continued to collect medals across rifle events. At national competitions she won multiple gold medals, including three titles at the 63rd National Shooting Championships in Bhopal (2019) and three golds at the Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Championship in New Delhi (2019). Internationally, she claimed golds at World Shooting Para Sport World Cup stages, including victories in Dubai (2018) and at the Châteauroux World Cup in France (June 2022), where she set a world-record score in the Women’s 10m Rifle Standing SH1 final.

The breakthrough moment of her career came at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games (held in 2021), where Avani won gold in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event, setting a Paralympic and world record score of 249.6 in the final. She also won a bronze medal at the same Paralympic Games in the 50m rifle event, making her the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic medals. She has continued that form, winning the R2 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 gold at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou on 23 October 2023, where she again recorded a 249.6 score.

Her coaching team has included personal coach Suma Siddharth Shirur and national coach Subhash Rana. Avani’s training approach has adapted to her circumstances, using dry firing and wall-holding exercises to build core strength when live firing was not possible.

Public profile

Avani has become one of India’s most prominent para athletes. In recognition of her sporting achievements she received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021 and was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022. Her Tokyo Paralympic gold prompted public congratulations from national leaders and broad media coverage. She has also been supported by the GoSports Foundation through its Para Champions Programme, which has helped her development.

Beyond competition, Avani has used her platform to share training and rehabilitation tips for wheelchair users, particularly during the COVID-19 lockdown, and maintains a visible social media presence where she posts about training, medals and her pet dog. She cites former Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra as an inspiration.

Latest updates

In June 2022 Avani won two gold medals at the Châteauroux World Cup, including a world-record performance in the Women’s 10m Rifle Standing SH1. On 23 October 2023 she won gold in the R2 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, equalling her 249.6 score from Tokyo. Looking ahead, she is listed for R-2 women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games schedule.

Personal notes

Avani is unmarried. She enjoys listening to music, watching films and television, cooking and baking. She is a pet lover and frequently shares photos of her dog on social media. Her sporting philosophy emphasizes making the best of the cards life deals her, a perspective shaped by her recovery and competitive journey.
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Recent Work

Gold — Women’s 10m Rifle Standing SH1, Châteauroux World Cup

Won gold with a world-record score in June 2022

2022
Gold — Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1, Châteauroux World Cup

Second gold at the Châteauroux 2022 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup

2022
Gold — R2 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1, Asian Para Games

Gold medal and 249.6 score at Hangzhou Asian Para Games

2023
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Career Highlights

  1. First Indian woman to win two Paralympic medals (2021)
  2. Gold medal and world/paralympic record in Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 at Tokyo 2020 Paralympics (held 2021)
  3. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (2021)
  4. Padma Shri (2022)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Avani Lekhara born?

8 November 2001

What is Avani Lekhara known for?

Para Shooter

What is Avani Lekhara’s marital status?

Unmarried