From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, Nov 26: Sachin Chamaria from Meghalaya has made history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World Boccia Challenger 2024. Competing in the BC3 (Male) individual category, Sachin clinched the solitary gold medal for India at the event held in Bahrain.
Despite a severe spinal cord injury at an early age, Sachin has defied the odds to achieve this remarkable feat at an international level in the sport of Boccia. The two-week-long World Boccia Challenger Series concluded on November 24 at the Isa bin Rashid Hall in Bahrain.The mega event witnessed widespread international participation, underscoring its growing significance on both regional and global levels. In addition to his achievement, Sachin has been named the Brand Ambassador for the 1st North East Para Games 2024 by the Paralympic Association of Assam.
“It gives me immense pleasure to share this news with my whole nation that I became the first Indian ever to win a gold medal for the country in the individual Boccia BC3 men’s category at the World Boccia Challenger 2024 in Bahrain. I also became the first Indian to secure medals in two international events in the same calendar year,” an elated Sachin shared on Instagram. He is the son of Rajendra Chamaria, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Meghalaya-based Star Cement Limited.
Boccia, a precision ball sport, is played at local, national, and international levels by athletes with severe physical disabilities. A Paralympic sport since 1984, Boccia has seen significant global growth, with 75 national organizations joining international Boccia bodies as of 2020.
The objective of the game is to throw leather balls—coloured red or blue (assigned by a coin toss)—as close as possible to a white target ball, known as the jack. Players can move the balls using their hands, feet, or, in cases of severe disability, assistive devices such as ramps.
Earlier this year, Sachin also secured a silver medal in the BC3 (Male) individual category and a bronze medal in the BC3 (Male) Pair category at the World Boccia Challenger 2024 in Egypt. These achievements make him the first Indian male athlete to earn medals in two international Boccia events within the same calendar year, cementing his legacy in the sport.
