Deaflympics 2025: Disability couldn’t stop her from shooting to win!

Komal Waghmare 22 a resident of Kharghar returned home on Saturday night with two bronze medals from the Tokyo Deaflympics 2025 marking one of the proudest moments for Navi Mumbai On Sunday morning Komal visited her training ground at the Lakshaya Shooting Club Panvel where she thanked her coaches and revisited the lanes of her fouryearlong struggle that led to the podium finish Komal won two bronze medals mdash one individual and one team mdash at the Deaflympics DIPLOMA held in Tokyo from November 15 to November 26Accidental beginningKomalrsquos father Head Constable Milind Waghmare mdash serving with the Navi Mumbai Police since 1997 and currently posted at the ACP Traffic office in Konkan Bhavan mdash recalls the day her destiny changedRecently Komal was awarded the Maharshi Karve Khel Ratna Award at SNDT Womenrsquos University MumbaildquoIn 2019 after her Std X we took her to Karnala Sports Club for a summer camp She was also good at football and kabaddi so we were looking for those But the camp only had archery and air rifle shootingrdquo he said After a few days of camp and holding the rifle the coach said that she had a natural talent and she could be nurtured as an air rifle shooterNo celebrationsKomal studied at Ruia College in Matunga but trained in Panvel Her routine was punishing ldquoI travelled from Matunga to Panvel by train got down at Khandeshwar took my scooty from the parking lot and went for trainingrdquo she said ldquoI never got off at Khargharhellip because if I came home training would sufferrdquoKomal at the Tokyo Deaflympics 2025 PICBY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTHer parents said she avoided birthdays marriages and family functions for years to maintain discipline ldquoShe struggled a lot but she never complainedrdquo said her mother Archana a teacher at Gyanjyot High School in KhargharFighting hearing impairmentKomal was born with a 62 per cent hearing impairment and studied at a regular school She underwent surgery in 2019 ldquoMy treatment happened during COVID19 but went smoothlyrdquo Komal said ldquoMy disability never stopped me In fact I feel it made me strongerrdquoSacrifices financial burdenShooting is an expensive sport and Komalrsquos father had to take loans to support her ldquoI took loans from the Police Patpedhi and my PF provident fund I was ready to do anything for herrdquo Milind said emotionallyKomal Waghmarersquos Unique Disability ID which mentions that she has 62 per cent disabilityHer younger sister Chinmayee 17 also a student at Ruia College has now taken up pistol shooting inspired by Komal Her elder sister Gayatri 25 is a practising lawyer Komal has been training professionally since 2021 under Suma Shirur former India team coach and coach Smita Kamble at Lakshaya Shooting ClubShe also thanked the SNDT Womenrsquos University faculty including Sports Director Dr Kavita Kholkade ViceChancellor Dr Ujwalla Chakradeo and Head of Psychology Dr Nilesh Thakare Komal said happily that the win has gained national recognition with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeting about it ldquoWinning two bronze medals for India is a very proud moment for merdquo Komal saidEyeing goldKomal Waghmare in orange top with her sister father Milind and mother Archana PICSAMARJEET SINGHKomal now aims for bigger goals ldquoMy dream is to win gold at the 2029 Summer Deaflympics in Athens and also gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympicsrdquo she said Her father added ldquoKomal fought in silence and made India listenrdquoAbout Komal10m Air Rifle Individual Bronze10m Air Rifle Team BronzeEvent Deaflympics 2025 DIPLOMA Tokyo Nov 1526Training Lakshaya Shooting Club PanvelCoaches Suma Shirur and Smita KambleEducation Masterrsquos in Psychology SNDT Womenrsquos University