NEW DELHI: India's ace para shooter Avani Lekhara bagged the prestigious Para Sportsperson of the Year award at the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) 2021. The glittering event in the national capital on Friday also saw Avani get the Para Shooter of the Year award.

The 20-year-old pipped Para badminton players Krishna Nagar, Pramod Bhagat, para shooters Manish Narwal and Singhraj Adhana for the Para Sportsperson of the year award.

The TOISA 2021 jury which elected Avani for the award comprised cricket all-rounder and member of the 1983 World Cup winning team Madan Lal, former hockey captain and Haryana sports minister Sandeep Singh, Olympic medal winning shooter Gagan Narang, veteran Indian athlete Anju Bobby George, Paralympic Games silver medallist Deepa Malik and Olympic medal winning boxer Vijender Singh.

Jaipur-born Avani bagged a gold medal in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics. She also clinched a bronze in the women's 50m rifle position SH1 event at the Games becoming the only Indian woman to win 2 medals at the Paralympics.
The first Indian woman to win a Paralympic gold, Avani emerged as the clear favourite for the jury members for the award.

The Jaipur-born shooting sensation was awarded the Best Female Debutant at the Paralympics Awards and was also conferred with Indian government's Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021.