Chandigarh Spinal Rehab Centre players win laurels

Chandigarh, August 5

Two para-athletes from Chandigarh Spinal Rehab Centre — Anjali Thakur and her sister Priyanka Thakur — made history by winning the first-ever medal in boccia. The duo won gold medal at the World Boccia Challenger 2024 Cairo (Egypt). Para-table tennis player Vidya Kumari won a silver medal in the mixed doubles Class IV category at the International Table Tennis Federation Factor 40 (ITTFA) Championship in Pattaya (Thailand).

Anjali from Himachal Pradesh faced a devastating setback after she was got hurt with a C4-C5 level injury. In 2022, she moved to Chandigarh and after three months of intensive rehabilitation, she not only got better, but also found a new found perspective. Anjali set her sights on different paths before developing her interest in boccia. Anjali is aiming big for the Asian Para-games to be held in Japan in 2026.

Vidya, a young girl hailing from a small village in Samastipur (Bihar), faced a devastating turn of events 16 years ago when she fell from a bridge while cycling home from school, resulting in a spinal cord injury that shattered her dreams. Confined to her home for 11 years, she battled with depression, even contemplating ending her life. She had excelled as both national and international para-table tennis player and clinched numerous gold, silver and bronze medals.

She would be going for national championship in August to be held in Indore and Para-Open Championship to be held at Saudi Arabia in October.