Pooja Jatyan

Lore & Background

Pooja Jatyan was born in Gurugram but moved to Rohtak, Haryana after her marriage. She contracted polio at age five, which left her with an impairment in her left leg. She is the oldest of four siblings and completed her post-graduate studies in Library Sciences at Baba Mastnath University. She trains at the Rajiv Gandhi stadium in Rohtak.

Jatyan made her international debut at the 2018 Asian Para Games, where she missed a bronze medal. She participated in the 2019 World Championships but did not advance beyond Round 2. In May 2022, she became the first Indian archer to win an individual medal at the Para World Championships, earning a silver at the World Archery Para Championships in Dubai.

She qualified for the Rio Paralympics 2016 at the final world qualifier in the Czech Republic. At the Paris Paralympics in September 2024, she took a two-set lead but lost 4-6 against Chinese archer Wu Chunyan in the quarterfinals of the women's recurve open.

Reader's Guide

Pooja Jatyan holds significance as the first para athlete from India to take part in an Olympic Archery event, competing at the Rio Paralympics 2016. Her career includes a historic silver medal at the World Archery Para Championships in Dubai in May 2022, making her the first Indian archer to win an individual medal at the Para World Championships. She represented India at two Paralympic Games—Rio 2016 and Paris 2024—and qualified for the latter at the final world qualifier in the Czech Republic. At the Paris Paralympics, she led by two sets but ultimately lost 4-6 to Wu Chunyan in the quarterfinals. Her legacy is tied to breaking barriers for Indian para athletes in archery, though her international debut at the 2018 Asian Para Games ended without a medal, and she did not advance past Round 2 at the 2019 World Championships. Her achievements underscore her role as a pioneering figure in Indian para sports.

Did You Know?

• She lost in the quarterfinals of the Paris Paralympics 2024 after taking a two-set lead.
• She suffered polio at age five, causing impairment in her left leg.