Soman Rana Lost A Leg Due To Mine Blast In Kashmir, Today He Won Historic CWG Gold
The shot put F57 is a discipline requiring seated, strapped-in athletes to generate power entirely through the upper body and torso.
- India's Soman Rana won gold while Shubham Juyal took silver in men's shot put F57 at CWG 2026
- Soman is an Indian Army para athlete and two-time Paralympian
- Soman lost a leg in a 2006 mine blast and joined para sports during rehabilitation
India pulled off a historic double in the men's shot put F57 final at the CWG 2026, winning gold and silver to take the nation's medal tally in Glasgow to 30. Soman Rana won gold with a 13.40m attempt, while Shubham Juyal registered a throw of 13.28m, with both efforts being season-best throws for the duo. The shot put F57 is a discipline requiring seated, strapped-in athletes to generate power entirely through the upper body and torso. Glasgow 2026 marked the debut of the men's F57 shot put event at the CWG.
Who is Soman Rana?
Havildar Soman Rana is an Indian Army para athlete born on 16 January 1983. He hails from Gaya, Bihar. Soman Rana comes from a humble family background and belongs to a family of farmers living in Bihar. His father, Bahadur Rana, is a farmer, and his mother, Maya Devi Rana, is a housewife.
In 2001, he joined the Army in the Gorkha Rifles as a sepoy. As he was a keen sportsman, he soon became a part of the unit boxing team. On 1 December 2006, while posted with 2/8 Gorkha Rifles and serving on the Line of Control in J&K, he sustained injuries in a mine blast, resulting in a below-knee amputation.
He was later transferred to the Artificial Limb Centre, Pune, where he began his rehabilitation. Losing a leg would end the sporting career of most athletes, but Soman remained motivated. He was drawn towards para sports during his rehabilitation and joined the Army Paralympic Node in 2017.
Soman Rana has shown tremendous improvement since joining the node. He has a calm personality and is friendly in nature. Soman Rana represented India at the Tokyo Paralymics 2020 and Paralympics 2024. He is one of the strongest medal prospects in the Shot Put F57 event at the Commonwealth Games 2026.
Soman, a two-time Paralympian, had won a silver medal at the World Para Athletics Championships in 2025.