Krishna Poonia

Krishna Poonia

On 11th Oct 2010, Krishna Poonia became the first Indian woman athlete to win a gold medal in track and field events at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, achieving this feat in the discus throw discipline. Born in the conservative Jat community of Agroha in Haryana, Krishna lost her mother as a young girl and her relatives helped raise her. It is hard to imagine the struggle and adversity that she faced growing up. With limited resources and boundless passion, Krishna worked tirelessly to become a successful athlete. She milked buffaloes at her father’s dairy as a substitute to modern fitness equipment, to strengthen her arms and improve muscle power. With complete backing from her family, Krishna excelled at the sport whilst studying Sociology from Kanodia Girls’ College, Jaipur. Soon after, she was married to Virender Singh Poonia of Gagarwas village in Churu district, Rajasthan, an area where the restrictive purdah system still exists for women. However, this did not hamper her ambitions as her husband; a former athlete was fully supportive and became her coach. At the 2012 London Olympics, Krishna finished a credible seventh in the women’s discus throw event making the nation proud.

Krishna’s gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games makes her the first Indian to win a gold medal in such events after Milkha Singh’s gold win in the Men’s 440 yards race at the 1958 Cardiff Commonwealth Games.

Krishna Poonia is the first Indian woman athlete to win a gold medal in track and field events at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, achieving this feat in the discus throw discipline. She did an amazing job finishing 7th in the 2012 London Olympics and is the current national record holder. From milking buffaloes at her father’s dairy as an alternate fitness equipment to strengthen her arms, Krishna’s boundless passion to excel as an international athlete is inspiring.