CWG 2026: How Sharmila went from being a domestic abuse survivor to gold medallist

Standing on top of the podium in Glasgow on a chilly Monday evening, Sharmila Dhankar must have been reminded of the long struggle that brought her there.

The 40-year-old created history by becoming India's first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medallist in para athletics. She won the women's F57 shot put final with a best throw of 9.81m.

But some fourteen years ago, representing the country or standing on top of the podium, was not even in her dreams.

Born in a small village in Haryana, Sharmila contracted polio at the age of two, leaving one of her legs permanently affected.

Despite doing well in school and dreaming of becoming a police officer, she was married off at the age of 18.

Her marriage soon turned into a nightmare. She faced years of domestic abuse before being thrown out of her home along with her two daughters. She lost hope and felt life was no longer worth living, but chose to fight on.

After returning to her parents' home, Sharmila took up whatever work she could find, from working as a maid, a cleaner and a security guard at a women's hospital while slowly rebuilding her life.

The turning point came with her second marriage.

Her husband, Ajit Singh, encouraged her to take up para athletics after reading about the sport in a newspaper. By then, Sharmila was already 34 and had never trained professionally. But Ajit believed she had the talent to succeed, and that decision changed the course of her life.

Training under Asian Para Games medallist Tek Chand in Rewari, Sharmila made rapid progress. Within a year, she won the National Championships with a new national record.

Her family stood firmly behind her. Ajit spent much of his earnings on her training and even sold their house to support her dream.

Her daughters took on responsibilities at home, while her mother sold part of the family's farmland to help fund her career. Their sacrifices paid off in Glasgow.

Sharmila had also represented India at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham before continuing to improve on the international stage.

Glasgow was not just a celebration of a gold medal. It was a celebration of a life she had rebuilt against overwhelming odds.

Today, her dream goes beyond medals. She wants her daughters to have the freedom to chase their own ambitions and hopes her journey inspires other women to keep fighting, no matter how difficult life becomes.