Commonwealth Games 2026: All you need to know about Soman Rana

Soman Rana's sporting career has been defined by resilience and reinvention.

A former national-level boxer whose military service was interrupted by a life-changing landmine blast, the Indian Army Subedar has rebuilt himself into one of India's leading para shot put athletes.

After representing the country at two Paralympic Games and winning his first World Championships medal in 2025, the 43-year-old now prepares for another major challenge at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Early days

Born on January 16, 1983, in Bihar, Soman joined the Indian Army's 2nd Battalion of the 8 Gorkha Rifles, where sport remained an integral part of his life.

Before entering para-athletics, he was an accomplished boxer who competed in the middleweight category for the Services Sports Control Board.

He reached the quarter-finals of the 2005 Senior National Boxing Championships and trained alongside some of India's leading boxers, including Vijender Singh.

In December 2006, while on a search operation in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, Soman stepped on a landmine.

The blast resulted in the amputation of his right leg below the knee, bringing his boxing career to an abrupt end.

A new beginning

Following treatment and rehabilitation at the Army Rehabilitation Centre in Pune, Soman spent nearly a decade performing administrative duties in the Army, believing his days as a competitive athlete were over.

That changed in 2017 when Colonel Gaurav Dutta introduced him to the Army Paralympic Node in Pune.

Soman chose shot put after recognising similarities between the throwing motion and the punching technique he had developed as a boxer.

Competing in the F57 classification, where athletes throw from a seated position, he adapted quickly and soon established himself on the national circuit.

Soman made rapid progress after taking up para-athletics and began representing India internationally from 2019.

He won gold at the 2021 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Tunis before claiming silver in the men's F57 shot put at the 2022 Asian Para Games.

His consistency also earned him appearances at the Tokyo and Paris Paralympics, where he finished fourth and fifth respectively, narrowly missing the podium on both occasions.

The biggest achievement of his career came at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, where he won bronze with a season's best throw of 14.69m to secure his first medal at a global championship.

Eyes on Glasgow

Soman heads to the Commonwealth Games after another productive season that included gold at the National Para Athletics Championships and continued consistency on the international stage.

With years of experience competing at the highest level, the Games offer another opportunity for the Army veteran to add to an already distinguished career.

From a national-level boxer to a soldier who survived a landmine blast and reinvented himself as an elite para-athlete, Soman's journey is one of perseverance and determination.

Nearly two decades after the injury that changed his life, he continues to compete at the highest level, inspiring others through his achievements both in sport and in service to the country.