She was affected by polio at the age of two and did not have an easy childhood. Married at 19, she endured an abusive relationship and was eventually forced to walk away at 26 with two young daughters. Just pause for a moment and imagine that reality: an abusive husband, domestic violence and the responsibility of raising two young daughters. It is difficult enough simply to survive such circumstances, let alone pursue a career in sport. Yet Sharmila Dhankar never gave up.
She left home at 26 and married Ajit Singh a couple of years later. Together, they slowly rebuilt their lives, with Ajit even selling his property to support her sporting ambitions. That proved to be the turning point. Within a few years, Sharmila had become a regular member of the Indian para athletics team and, as Athletics Head Coach Satyanarayana put it, “was always a great prospect for Glasgow”.
“I have always supported Sharmila for the effort she has put in,” said Satyanarayana. “It has not been easy for her, and you know it. I don’t want to go into details because I’m not sure she’d want me to do so. But suffice to say it has been incredibly hard for her. To fight against all odds and emerge a winner is not easy. This is no film. This is real life, and on most occasions people give up and lose hope. Sharmila fought on and made her mark.”
She was in Birmingham in 2022 but narrowly missed the podium. She was also at the Asian Para Games and again finished outside the medals. Things have not been easy, yet her resilience continued to shine through. Here in Glasgow, on a cold and windy day, conditions were far from ideal for the throwers. Satyanarayana and Rahul Swami, the Deputy Chef de Mission, had both told me days earlier to keep an eye on her. Team RevSportz was there to witness her moment, and we were not disappointed.
This medal will mean the world to her and could transform her life. Government rewards are now around the corner, and years of relentless hard work will finally bear fruit.
Sharmila’s story is one of perseverance and courage. It is a story of discipline, hope, optimism and an unrelenting desire to be recognised. Her life is an inspiration from which all of us can learn.
When I cover multi-sport events, these are the stories I seek out. I know they will never generate the numbers that Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli do. I know not everyone will want to read about Sharmila. But sport is about far more than numbers; it is about life lessons. Sharmila embodies that truth, and her medal is a triumph not just for her but for India. For every woman who has suffered domestic abuse or violence, it sends a powerful message: they can raise their voice, rebuild their lives and emerge stronger. That is what truly matters – not social media numbers.
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