Aishwin Kaur, a 20-year-old paddler from Ludhiana, clinched the gold medal in the women’s singles category at the National Deaf Table Tennis Championship held in Chandigarh on March 25–26, defeating Subecha Roy of West Bengal 4–3 in a closely fought final.
Kaur advanced to the summit clash after overcoming Shiney Gomez of Gujarat 4–2 in the semifinals, capping a dominant run in the tournament. The latest triumph adds to her growing list of achievements at both national and international levels.
Last year, she was the only player from Punjab to be included in the probables list for the 25th Summer Deaflympics held in Tokyo.
She was also invited as a special guest by the Government of India to the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi this year in recognition of her accomplishments.
Her record includes a gold medal at the national deaf
senior, junior and sub-junior championships in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, where she defeated West Bengal’s Megha in the final.
In 2024, she represented India at the 4th World Deaf Table Tennis Championship in Taiwan, securing a silver medal in the team event and two bronze medals in the singles and doubles categories.
Diagnosed at the age of six with metachromatic leukodystrophy, a rare and incurable genetic disorder, Kaur overcame significant medical challenges to pursue the sport. Her father said her determination helped her defy the odds and emerge stronger.
{{/usCountry}}Diagnosed at the age of six with metachromatic leukodystrophy, a rare and incurable genetic disorder, Kaur overcame significant medical challenges to pursue the sport. Her father said her determination helped her defy the odds and emerge stronger.
{{/usCountry}}She follows a rigorous training routine, beginning her day at 4.30 am with fitness sessions followed by extended practice hours.
Apart from deaf championships, Kaur has also excelled in mainstream competitions, winning a silver medal at the Punjab State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament in Amritsar against able-bodied players.