A road accident cuts short her athletics career, braving the odds Kiran makes a mark in rowing

Once a future running hope, Kiran was a Haryana state junior champion in 400m and made it to the junior nationals in 2017. But in October 2018, a road accident while returning from her evening training cut short her athletics career. As her left toe was amputated and two of the adjoining fingers were damaged, so pursuing running became next to impossible. 

Staying away from the competitive arena for almost two years, Kiran, 21, got a chance to live her sports dream through rowing. 

In a span of almost one-and-half years, she has become the country’s one of the top rowers in her event. In the 36th National Game in Ahmedabad, Kiran, a native of Dahola village in Jind, clinched two silver medals in double scull and quadruple scull events.

She has also been named in the Indian camp for the Asian Championship to be held in Thailand next month.

“Due to the accident I was on a bed for almost two months and due to the permanent injury it was clear to me that I couldn’t pursue running. I started focusing on academics and scored 96 percent marks in arts in 12th boards,” recalled Kiran, who lost her father while she was at her mother’s womb.

“I took admission in Delhi University pursuing bachelors in sports sciences. During the lockdown my college was closed and I came to my village. At that time, a senior in my village Virender sir introduced me to Chand sir, who runs a rowing academy in village Haibatpur, Jind. As I always wanted to have a career in sports, I thought if not athletics, why not give rowing a try and in rowing, running is involved only for fitness and sprinting is not required, so I managed,” added Kiran, who won gold in her first nationals, held in January 2022. “Chand sir knew about the financial constraints of my family, so he is giving me free coaching and my hostel fee has also been waived off.”

“My next target is to represent India in Asian Championship and Asian Games," said Kiran.