From blast survivor to Asian champion: The incredible story of Toman Kumar Taram

Four years after losing his left foot to an explosive device during a military operation, former Indian Special Forces operative Toman Kumar Taram has overcome it all to win a gold medal in archery at the Asian Para Games.

Right after clinching gold in the mixed team compound event alongside teammate Sheetal Devi in Nagoya, Japan, on Oct. 22, Toman sent a special photo to his former unit's WhatsApp group. In the photo, he proudly holds his gold medal and the Indian national flag, sharing his achievement with the comrades who once stood by his side during counterinsurgency operations.

The 31-year-old was a member of the 209th CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) unit, part of India's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Born in the village of Nawagon, Chhattisgarh, Toman joined the CRPF in 2017 and underwent elite training to serve in CoBRA in 2021.

In February 2022, Toman and his unit were deployed for an operation in Lohardaga, Jharkhand. While pursuing an armed group on a hillside, he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED). He was immediately airlifted to Ranchi, where he underwent surgery and received hospital treatment for over a month.

The explosion not only cost Toman part of his left leg but also plunged him into a mental health crisis. Before the incident, he had led a stable life and had recently become engaged. His depression deepened months later when a close friend and fellow police officer, Rajesh Kumar, was killed during an operation.

Archery champion

A major turning point arrived when Toman was transferred to the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Hyderabad for rehabilitation and to be fitted with a prosthetic foot. At the institute, he met Pankaj Singh, an archery coach for the CRPF, according to Mint.

Initially, Toman showed zero interest in the sport. He tried using one of Singh's bows but struggled significantly with maintaining his balance while standing on his prosthetic foot.

However, after watching local children skillfully drawing bows at a tournament, Toman was struck by the fact that a rigorously trained military operative like him could not do the same.

According to Singh, Toman did not understand the difference in draw strength between the different types of bows. The children were using lighter bows, while the bow he tested had significantly more draw strength.

Toman decided to commit himself to training and mastering the weapon.

Thanks to his physical foundation and discipline as a special operative, Toman made rapid progress. Coach Singh built a specialized training regimen and put him into competitions alongside archers with no disabilities, helping Toman quickly close the gap with athletes who had years of training.

"My coach, Pankaj Singh, made me train and compete among able-bodied archers. That led me to believe that I am no less than anybody else," Toman told The Indian Express.

During the CRPF's internal selection trials, Toman placed second in the open category with over 700 points. He went on to secure a silver medal at the Indian Police Archery Championship before achieving 703 points at the national championship.

His improvement earned him a spot on the national team. At the 2025 World Para Archery Championships in South Korea, Toman made a stunning debut by winning gold in the men's individual compound event, securing the world title just a year after he began serious training. He also teamed up with Sheetal Devi to win a bronze medal in the mixed team event.

Success continued into 2026. At the World Archery Para Series in Bangkok, Toman defeated Australian athlete Jonathon Milne to win the men's individual compound final, and secured another gold in the mixed team event alongside Devi, beating Indonesia.

These results established Toman as one of the world's top para-archers heading into the 2026 Asian Para Games. At the event, he once again partnered with Devi, a 19-year-old archer born without arms who uses her feet, shoulder and jaw to shoot.

The two athletes formed a unique duo. During the ranking round for the mixed team compound event, they scored 1,402 points, surpassing the previous world record. In the semifinals, the Indian pair secured a narrow 142–141 victory over Taiwan.

In the final on Oct. 22, they faced Indonesia's Teodora Audi Ayudia Ferelly and Ken Swagumilang. Toman and Sheetal took an early lead and ultimately secured a 151–148 overall victory. This triumph earned Toman the first Asian Para Games gold medal of his career.

Toman admitted that the competition conditions in Nagoya were not easy, particularly the strong winds that made it difficult to maintain his balance. However, he drew extra motivation from watching his teammate Sheetal, who went on to win a second gold medal in the women's individual compound final that same day.

While his teammate continued her historic run, Toman took a moment to call home and share his joy with his wife, Renuka Bai, and their two-year-old daughter.

Bai has been by his side throughout his entire journey. The family never considered calling off the wedding, even though the accident had completely changed Toman's future.

"When Toman lost his foot in the IED blast, my father and I spent more than a month in Ranchi, along with his mother. There was no question of calling off the engagement. Seeing him win gold medals is a special feeling for all of us," Bai told The Indian Express.

Toman dedicated his Asian Para Games gold medal to Rajesh Kumar, his friend who lost his life in the line of duty, and to his former comrades.