Who is Aruna Tanwar? 5 things you didn't know about India's Paralympics 2021-bound taekwondo athlete

Aruna Tanwar, the 21-year-old Dinod-born taekwondo athlete, made history by becoming the first Indian to qualify for the 2021 Paralympics in the combat sport. Tanwar is a former World Para Taekwondo Championships medalist and will be hopeful of making an impact on the world's biggest sporting stage.

With the 2021 Paralympics scheduled to get underway in Tokyo soon, here is a look at some of the lesser known facts about India's ace taekwondo athlete.

---

#1 Aruna Tanwar was given the bipartite commision invitation

Aruna Tanwar became the first Indian taekwondo athlete to qualify for the Paralympics after being awarded a bipartite invitation.

Tanwar received one of the bipartite invitation spots for her "exemplary past performances." She will be participating in the women's K44 −49 kg category at the 2021 event.

---

#2 Aruna Tanwar has also competed agianst atheltes without disabilites

Aruna Tanwar never let disability come in the way of her passion for taekwondo. Early in her career, the youngster competed in the National Championships with athletes without disabilities.

Tanwar proved her mettle by winning the junior national title, but made the switch to Para Taekwondo for international competitions at the beginning of 2017.

---

#3 Aruna Tanwar is ranked no. 4 in the world in her category

Aruna Tanwar at an interntaional meet in 2018. (Credits: Aruna Tanwar Twitter)

Aruna Tanwar has also made huge strides towards establishing herself at the international level. Strong showings at the Asian and World Championships and consistency have been key in Tanwar's rise up the world rankings. She currently sits no. 4 in her category of competition and will look to rise up in the rankings with some success in the event at the 2021 Paralympics.

---

#4 Aruna Tanwar is a Bachelor of Physical Education student

During her time away from taekwondo, Aruna Tanwar spends a lot of her hours in the classroom. The 21-year-old has enrolled in a Bachelor of Physical Education course at Chandigarh University.

Tanwar is one of two students from Chandigarh University to have qualified for the 2021 Paralympics, with the other athlete being badminton ace Palak Kohli. The alma mater's social media handles have shared several congratulatory posts and messages of support for the duo.

---

#5 Aruna Tanwar won a silver and a bronze at the Asian Championships

Aruna Tanwar has been a consistent performer for India on the international stage for the last few years.

The youngster's first medal at a continental event came at the young age of 18 at the 2019 Asian Para Taekwondo Championships. She secured a silver medal at the tournament, which was held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Tanwar managed to back that result up with a bronze medal showing at the Amman edition of the tournament in 2019.

---