Paris Paralympics gold-medalist Praveen Kumar will be presented the prestigious Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 25 May 2026. He's being honoured in the "unsung heroes" category. The 23-year-old world No. 1 high jumper from Uttar Pradesh has transformed para-sports in India. Born with a congenital issue in his left leg, Praveen fought through huge challenges under coach Satyapal Singh. He took silver at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and then clinched gold at the 2024 Paris Games with an Asian-record jump of 2.08 m, sealing his place as a legend.
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