Meet Toman Kumar: From CoBRA Commando to World No. 1 Para Archer After Losing Leg in IED Blast
Toman Kumar, a 31-year-old former Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) CoBRA commando from Nawagaon village in Chhattisgarh’s Balod district, has transformed a life-altering injury into a remarkable sporting career. Less than three years after taking up archery, he is the reigning World Archery Para champion in the compound men’s individual event and the world number one in his category. He will now lead India’s challenge at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games, scheduled from 18 to 24 October 2026, with para archery competition running from 19 to 24 October at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park.
Service and the 2022 Injury
Kumar joined the CRPF in 2017 and later trained with the elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), which specialises in counter-insurgency and anti-Naxal operations. In February 2022, during a joint search operation against Maoists in Jharkhand’s Lohardaga district (Peshrar/Bulbul forest area), he was injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast. Contemporary reports identified the injured CoBRA jawan as Tomin/Toman Kumar of Chhattisgarh; he was airlifted to Ranchi, and his left leg was subsequently amputated. Contemporary accounts and his own recollections describe the incident occurring amid gunfire while the patrol was moving through hilly terrain. He was approximately 26 years old at the time and had spent about five years in the force.
The physical loss was accompanied by significant psychological strain. Kumar has spoken of initial depression during recovery. He travelled to Hyderabad (National Centre for Divyang Empowerment / rehabilitation facilities in Telangana) for treatment and fitting of an artificial limb. There, encounters with individuals facing more severe disabilities provided motivation to rebuild. He reported for duty roughly four months after the blast.
Transition to Para Archery
Kumar had no prior sporting background—neither he nor others in his village had pursued competitive sport. During rehabilitation in Hyderabad, he met coach Pankaj Singh. After initial hesitation (including an early training session he did not continue), he returned to the sport around September 2023 on encouragement. Training began modestly—starting with short sessions—and intensified rapidly. Coach Singh emphasised extra practice hours to close the experience gap with more seasoned archers and reminded him that his role was simply to shoot while coaching handled the rest.
His CRPF background proved advantageous: physical fitness, discipline, calmness under pressure, and familiarity with demanding training regimens accelerated progress. Early domestic milestones included a second-place finish in the open category at CRPF departmental trials (score above 700) and a silver medal at the All India Police Championship—an uncommon achievement for a para athlete in that setting. He also competed against able-bodied archers and recorded strong scores, including 703 at the National Games. By June 2024, he had been selected for training at a Sports Authority of India centre in Aurangabad.
Rapid International Rise
Kumar’s international breakthrough came at the 2025 World Archery Para Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. In his debut at the event, he reached the compound men’s individual final against experienced Paralympic medallist Rakesh Kumar. After Rakesh withdrew midway due to a technical equipment failure (pulley issue after four shots), Kumar claimed the gold medal. He also partnered with Sheetal Devi (then world number one in her category) to win bronze in the compound mixed team event. The individual title propelled him to world number one status in the compound men’s category, according to Asian Paralympic Committee assessments.
Form continued into 2026. At the opening stage of the Hyundai World Archery Para Series in Bangkok, he defeated Australia’s Jonathon Milne (Rio 2016 Paralympic bronze medallist) 146–142 for individual gold and teamed with Sheetal Devi to win mixed team gold over Indonesia (153–146). At the Ahmedabad stage of the series (India’s first international para archery event), he and Shyam Sunder Swami won compound men’s doubles/team gold over Iraq (152–139), while Kumar added individual and mixed team bronze medals. Additional results included a bronze in compound men’s doubles at the Czech Republic stage. These performances confirmed his consistency against established international opposition.
Asian Para Games and Outlook
With Rakesh Kumar not selected after finishing fourth in national trials, Kumar will lead India’s compound men’s challenge alongside Shyam Sunder Swami at the fifth Asian Para Games. He is also expected to partner Sheetal Devi in the mixed team event. India is regarded as a leading medal contender in para archery alongside China, Iran, and hosts Japan. Kumar has emphasised mental preparation—breathing exercises and meditation—to manage early-round nerves, noting that focus and sustained hard work have been the chief lessons of the sport. He has previously expressed ambitions extending toward the 2028 Paralympics.
Kumar’s journey—from CoBRA operations in Naxal-affected regions, through amputation and rehabilitation, to world number one status in under three years of serious archery training—illustrates the transfer of military discipline and resilience into high-performance sport. As a serving CRPF constable (CT/GD) who continues to represent the force in competition, his success also underscores institutional support for injured personnel through centres such as the National Centre for Divyang Empowerment. With the Asian Para Games underway, he enters as the clear favourite in the compound men’s individual category and a central figure in India’s medal prospects.
