Para high-jumper Praveen Kumar set for Padma Shri after Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award in five-year hat-trick

Para high-jumper Praveen Kumar, 23, has been named for the Padma Shri, capping a remarkable run in which he has secured all three of India’s top sports honours in the span of five years. The recognition adds to his growing profile after he won a silver medal at the Tokyo 2021 Paralympics and later claimed gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympics with a personal best performance, achievements that were followed by major national awards. ([timesofindia.indiatimes.com](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/with-padma-shri-jewar-boy-praveen-kumar-makes-a-hat-trick-in-5-years-and-hes-just-23/articleshow/127569051.cms?utm_source=openai))

Reportedly from Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, Praveen’s progression into para-athletics is a story of rapid skill development and structured coaching. He began experimenting with high jump in 2016, moved into para-sport in 2018, and has since trained with the aim of pushing the event’s standards higher while also serving as a mentor figure for aspiring para-athletes who often struggle to navigate pathways and schemes. ([timesofindia.indiatimes.com](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/with-padma-shri-jewar-boy-praveen-kumar-makes-a-hat-trick-in-5-years-and-hes-just-23/articleshow/127569051.cms?utm_source=openai))

A rare honours ‘hat-trick’ at 23

Winning a Paralympics medal is itself career-defining; stacking that with elite national honours at such a young age places Praveen in a small group of athletes whose achievements cross multiple tiers—international podium, consistent high performance, and national-level recognition. The report noted his goal of chasing bigger marks and longer-term targets, including a focus on future multi-sport cycles. ([timesofindia.indiatimes.com](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/with-padma-shri-jewar-boy-praveen-kumar-makes-a-hat-trick-in-5-years-and-hes-just-23/articleshow/127569051.cms?utm_source=openai))

The broader backdrop is a rising visibility for para-sport in India, where medal performances have steadily increased audience attention and institutional investment. Awards such as the Padma Shri amplify that momentum by widening mainstream recognition beyond sports fans.

Why this matters for Indian para-sport

• Role-model effect: high-profile honours encourage participation and improve awareness of para-sport pathways. ([timesofindia.indiatimes.com](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/with-padma-shri-jewar-boy-praveen-kumar-makes-a-hat-trick-in-5-years-and-hes-just-23/articleshow/127569051.cms?utm_source=openai))
• Talent pipeline: recognition can translate into better support, sponsorship and infrastructure attention for training groups.
• Long-term ambition: Praveen’s stated performance goals reflect a shift from participation to record-chasing benchmarks. ([timesofindia.indiatimes.com](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/with-padma-shri-jewar-boy-praveen-kumar-makes-a-hat-trick-in-5-years-and-hes-just-23/articleshow/127569051.cms?utm_source=openai))

For fans and administrators alike, the Padma Shri announcement underlines a continuing shift in Indian sport: para-athletes are increasingly being treated as central national sporting figures, not an add-on story after major events. ([timesofindia.indiatimes.com](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/with-padma-shri-jewar-boy-praveen-kumar-makes-a-hat-trick-in-5-years-and-hes-just-23/articleshow/127569051.cms?utm_source=openai))