Chandigarh: At the 10th National Boccia Championship 2026, held from January 27 to February 2, one quiet but powerful thread ran through the medal tally, 11 medals were won by players associated with the Chandigarh Spinal Rehabilitation Centre, underlining how rehabilitation, sport and belief can change lives.
Boccia, a precision sport recognised by the Paralympic Games and often compared to chess for its tactical depth, is still fighting for space and recognition in India. Yet, for athletes like Ajeya Raj, Anjali Devi, Pooja Gupta and Usha Kiran, it has become a lifeline.
BC3: Precision, ramps and resilience
Ajeya Raj, originally from Jharkhand and now based in Chandigarh, is one of India's most accomplished boccia players. Living with 100% disability and using a motorised wheelchair, Ajeya has nine national medals and two international medals from the World Boccia Challenger to his name previously. Beyond medals, he has emerged as a mentor and advocate for the sport.
His influence has been seen across players, one of them- Anjali Devi (27). A spinal injury from an accident at 18 forced Anjali to discontinue her studies after Class 12. Life stalled until she reached the Chandigarh spinal rehab centre, where she met Ajeya and was introduced to boccia in 2023.
What followed was a rapid ascent. Anjali has since won five national gold medals, an international gold at the World Boccia Challenger in Egypt, and added two more gold medals in Goa in the individual and pairs events at the Federation Cup.
At the latest nationals, she partnered with ramp operator Priyanka, and won gold in individual and pairs category while Ajeya competed with his ramp operator Sandeep Kumar won silver in the individual category and gold in the pairs category. Both excelled in the BC3 category, where athletes rely on ramps and assistants for play.
BC4: Playing through pain, gripping hope
In the BC4 category, where athletes play using their hands despite limited strength, two women stood out from the rehab centre.
Usha Kiran, from Telangana, suffered a spinal cord injury in a car accident in 2018. On the recommendation of the Spinal Cord Injury Association, she came for rehab to Chandigarh where she was encouraged to explore sport. Watching Ajeya play boccia sparked her interest. She bought her own kit, practised relentlessly and began competing nationally.
Her journey reflects grit: bronze medals in 2023 nationals (Delhi), more podium finishes in 2024 nationals (Gwalior), and finally, after just two months of focused training and a new electric wheelchair, gold at the 2026 nationals. Usha, who currently studies while her husband works with Zomato, Rapido and Uber, is now eyeing selection for the Asian championships in October.
Equally compelling is Pooja Gupta (35) from Haryana's Rewari district. Born with a progressive neurological disorder, hereditary sensory motor neuropathy, Pooja began using a wheelchair in her teens. For years, she was the sole earning member of her family, working in the banking sector at Punjab National Bank, while her youngest brother lives with the same condition.
Introduced to boccia through social media and friends in 2020, Pooja has since built an extraordinary journey, multiple national golds since 2020, international appearances in Poland, Rome, Hong Kong, Bahrain, Kazakhstan and Australia, and Asian Para Games. At the 2026 nationals, she won silver in the individual event and gold in pairs, despite having no grip strength and playing by stabilising her wrist.
"I never imagined I would play a sport, let alone represent India," she says. "Boccia gave me confidence and purpose."
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