Suman Devi’s journey to the Asian Para Games 2026 has been shaped by years of training, national-level success and support from her family.
The para-powerlifter, whose parental home is in Nidana village in Haryana’s Jind district, has emerged as one of India’s representatives in the sport at the continental event in , Japan.
Devi is part of India’s para-powerlifting contingent at the , where she is entered in the women’s up to 61kg category and the women’s team event. The competitions run from 19 to 24 October, with the individual events preceding the team contests.
Her selection follows a series of strong performances on the domestic circuit, where she has won gold medals in the women’s 55kg category.
Devi grew up in Nidana, where her father encouraged her interest in sports. Her sporting journey continued after her marriage to Pradeep Prajapat, who belongs to Siwah village near Panipat in Haryana.
Her husband has supported her pursuit of competitive powerlifting, including the demanding training schedule required to compete at national and international levels. Devi has trained under coach Raju Sharma, putting in several hours of practice during preparations for major competitions.
Devi’s results at national competitions have established her as a regular contender in para-powerlifting. In March 2024, she won the women’s 55kg gold at the 21st Senior National Championships in New Delhi, recording a best lift of 91kg.
She continued that run of success in 2025. At the 22nd Senior National Para Powerlifting Championships, she won gold in the same weight category with a lift of 92kg. Later that month, she secured another gold medal at the Khelo India Para Games in New Delhi, lifting 94kg in the women’s 55kg category.
In January 2026, Devi returned to the top of the podium at the 23rd Senior National Para Powerlifting Championships, held at the University of Roorkee in Uttarakhand.
She lifted 90kg to win the women’s 55kg gold medal at the competition, held on 16 and 17 January. Her preparations included regular training sessions in Siwah and Panipat under Sharma’s supervision.
At Aichi-Nagoya, Devi will compete in the women’s up to 61kg individual category and is also listed for the women’s team event. The team competitions form part of the para-powerlifting programme at the 2026 edition, alongside the individual weight categories.
