CRPF DG G. P. Singh Felicitates World Champion Para-Archer Toman Kumar at Headquarters

New Delhi, November 6, 2026: Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Shri G. P. Singh, IPS, felicitated world champion para-archer Constable/GD Toman Kumar and his coach, Head Constable/GD Pankaj Singh, at CRPF Headquarters for their achievements in international para-archery.

The felicitation recognised not only Toman Kumar’s sporting success but also the role he and his coach have played in bringing distinction to the force and to the country. Kumar’s story is especially striking because it began in the field as a member of the CRPF’s elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) before a severe injury changed the course of his life.

In 2022, while participating in an anti-Maoist operation, Kumar suffered a life-changing injury when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast left him seriously disabled. Instead of allowing the setback to end his career, he rebuilt his future through para-archery, eventually emerging as one of India’s leading athletes in the discipline.

His biggest breakthrough came at the World Archery Para Championships 2025 in Gwangju, South Korea, where he won gold in the men’s individual compound event. The result made him India’s first male individual world champion in para-archery, a historic achievement for both the athlete and the CRPF.

Kumar followed that with another major international success at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where he teamed up with well-known para-archer Sheetal Devi to win gold in the Compound Mixed Team event. The victory added to India’s standing in international para-archery and reinforced Kumar’s place among the country’s top performers.

Much of that progress, according to the CRPF, has been driven by the steady support and technical guidance of Head Constable/GD Pankaj Singh. The force credited him with playing a key role in Kumar’s transformation from a combat-injured commando into an athlete capable of competing at the highest level.

Pankaj Singh’s contribution went beyond routine coaching. Through disciplined training, technical instruction and continued encouragement, he helped Kumar work through the physical and psychological challenges that followed the injury and develop the consistency needed for elite international competition.

The CRPF said the ceremony at Headquarters was intended to acknowledge both the athlete’s results and the coach’s role in helping produce a world-class performer. Kumar’s success, the force noted, reflects the broader commitment of personnel who continue to serve the nation even beyond their core operational duties.

The CRPF said Kumar’s achievements have brought considerable pride to the organisation, particularly to CoBRA, the force’s specialised unit for jungle warfare and counter-insurgency operations. His rise from a wounded operative to a world champion was presented as a reflection of resilience, discipline and determination.

For the CRPF leadership, the recognition was also a way of highlighting personnel who continue to bring honour to the service through accomplishments outside the battlefield. Kumar’s journey from surviving an IED blast during operational duty to standing on the world championship podium has now become one of the most notable examples of recovery and reinvention within the force.