Juggling Between Sports and Studies, Tokyo Paralympian Aces Class XII Boards

Kashish Lakra scored 100 in her Geography exam.

Kashish Lakra,18, has been juggling both studies and sports for the last two years. 

(Kashish Lakra)

The last few years, 18-year-old wheelchair-bound Kashish Lakra has spent most of her time on field, practising “club throw,” an athletic sport, in which she even represented India at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Her tight schedule and travels for sporting events gave her just enough time to study for her class 10 and class 12 board exams. On Friday, 22 July, morning, Lakra’s hard work paid off when she checked her class 12 CBSE results.

She scored 100 in Geography, 93 in Commercial Arts, 90 in English, 85 in Psychology, and 82 in Physical Education. Her class 12 aggregate score is 93 percent – a piece of news shared rather proudly by Alka Kapur, the principal of Modern Public School in Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh.

Lakra told The Quint:

"Even though I am representing my country on an international stage, winning medals for it, I did not want to give up on my education."

Kashish Lakra

Journey Marred With Obstacles

Lakra was the youngest Indian participant to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020. She also won the gold medal in club throw at the Asian Youth Paralympic Games in December 2021.

Her life, however, has been fraught with obstacles. When Lakra was 14 years old, an accident injured her spinal cord, leaving her lower body paralysed.

"I thought my life was ruined, and I had no future. I was always into sports and had even taken up wrestling when I was 13 years old. The accident changed things and I had to give it up."

Kashish Lakra

And then one day, Lakra came across club throw – an athletic sport involving the throw of a wooden club – and began training for it. This meant Lakra needed a supportive school, one that would allow her time away from the classroom. But it was not meant to be easy.

“I was in class 9 at the time. The school I went to at the time didn’t allow me to sit for exams," she alleged, adding, "So, I went to an Open School.”

In class 11, she took admission in Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, where she received the support she needed all along.

Kashish at Japan National Stadium. 

(Kashish Lakra)

'I want to Pursue Sports But Knowledge Is Important Too'

Lakra said that while her focus is on sports, she does not want to compromise on education. The last year, however, has been especially challenging, with the 18-year-old having to juggle between Paralympic events and her class 12 board exam prep.

"I had gone for the Youth Asian Paralympic games while CBSE term 1 exam was taking place. Before term 2, I had to go for another national-level athletics competition in Bhubaneswar. Thankfully, my school and teachers helped me sit for all exams,” she said.

Alka Kapur, the principal of Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, said, "We have tried to support her to the best of our ability, kept resources and the library available to her, day and night. And she has continued to make us proud."

Lakra has an older brother, and their father is a property dealer, while their mother is a homemaker.

Kashish practising club throw. 

(Kashish Lakra)

Lakra starts her day at 5.30 am with training, followed by rest for two hours. At 12.30 pm, she starts training again, followed by rest. By 6 pm, she begins studying.

She is preparing for the Asian Games next year but hopes to study a humanities subject at the Delhi University, preferably psychology.