Who is Narayana Konganapalle? All you need to know about Indian para athlete competing at Paris 2024 Paralympics

Narayana Konganapalle, a para-rower, is one of the biggest names in Indian sports hailing from Nandya in Andhra Pradesh. Konganapalle's journey to Paris Paralympics is nothing but inspirational.

He joined the army in 2007 with the Madras Engineering Group. But life took a pivotal turn, as he survived a landmine blast during his course of duty in Jammu and Kashmir. The explosion blew off his left leg below the knee, but that did not deter him from eyeing higher things in sports.

Konganapalle took to para-rowing under Subedar Mohammed Azad's coaching at the Army Rowing Node in Pune and rose to become one of India's top para-rowers. All that hard work has finally paid off for him because he has managed to qualify for the 2024 Summer Paralympics held in Paris.

He ended up securing his spot in the mixed double sculls event with Anita in the World Rowing Asian and Oceanian Olympic along with a berth in Paralympic Qualification 2024.

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Narayana Konganapalle's decent career brings hopes for a gold medal at Paris 2024 Paralympics

Narayana Konganapalle's accomplishments have also been celebrated on the international stage. He bagged a silver medal in the PR3 mixed doubles skulls event at the Asian Para Games, 2022 in Hangzhou, China, which further affirmed his potential in the para-rowing.

He has also clutched a couple of bronze medals at the 2019 World Rowing Cup and the Asian Championship, bolstering his skillset over the years.

Notably, para-rowing is one of the three new sports India will compete in at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Anita and Narayana Konganapalle are the only two para rowers representing India at the event.

Having faced tremendous adversities throughout his life, he has emerged as a beacon, an inspiration, actually not only to budding athletes but to anybody who faces adversities in life.