Parul Parmar

Parmar was born on 20 March 1973 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.[3] She was diagnosed with Poliomyelitis[4] when she was three years old and in the same year she fell from a swing while playing, resulting in a fractured collar bone and right leg. The injury took a long time to heal. Her father was a state-level badminton player and would go to a local badminton club to practice. She also started going to the club with her father and started developing interest in the game. She also began playing badminton with neighbour kids. A local coach, Surendra Parekh, noticed her talent in the sport and encouraged her to play more seriously.[3]

She won the golds in women's singles and doubles at the 2017 BWF Para-Badminton World Championships. She defeated Wannaphatdee Kamtam of Thailand in singles' final. Along with Japan's Akiko Sugino, she defeated China's Cheng Hefang and Ma Huihui in doubles' final.[5][6][7]

She has won golds in women's single SL3 at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Para Games.[8] She also won gold in women’s singles SL3 category, at the 2018 Thailand Para-Badminton International.[2][9] She had previously won the silver in 2014 Asian Para Games and the bronze in 2010 Asian Para Games.[4] She also won the gold in the mixed doubles in SL3-SU5 category with Raj Kumar at the 2015 BWF Para-Badminton World Championships.[10]

She is a three time world champion and she won gold and silver medals in 2014, Asian Para Games in Incheon, South Korea. She played against Kamtam Wannaphatdee and Panyachaem Paramee, both hailing from Thailand, to win the medals.[11] She also won two golds in Women's Singles and Doubles by defeating Wannaphatdee Kamtam, a Thai player, in the Singles Final and she paired with Japan's Akiko Sugino in Doubles, to defeat the Chinese duo of Cheng Hefang and Ma Huihui, in the Para Badminton World Championships, held in Ulsan, Korea in 2019.[12]

She works as a coach with the Sports Authority of India and lives in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.[8][4]

Parmar was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2009 by the Government of India and Eklavya Award by the Government of Gujarat.[4][13]