Events 
NCAER organised a talk with Simran Sharma, a shining star in Indian para-sports, as part of its Women’s Day celebrations, at its campus on 16 March 2026.
Born with visual impairment, Simran has exhibited determination and resilience, rising to become one of India’s most decorated para-athletes. She has won multiple awards in international competitions, including two silver medals at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games, a bronze medal in the Women’s 200m T12 event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, and gold medals in the 2024 and 2025 World Championships, along with various national titles in sprint events.
Inaugurating the event, Mr Suresh Goyal, the Director General of NCAER, said that this conversation was an effort to underscore the contribution of an incredibly courageous and talented Indian woman, whose success story would inspire countless women in the country. He pointed out that this occasion also symbolised NCAER’s tradition of consistently commemorating female achievements and gender equality, also reflected in the fact that more than 50 per cent of its workforce comprises women.
Moderating the conversation, Ms Divya Singh, Head of Finance and Administration at NCAER, said that the event is a grand opportunity for NCAER to continue its Women’s Day celebrations, and that while this celebration happens every day in diverse ways at the institution, it was just being expressed differently this time.
During the conversation, Simran emphasised how running became a lifelong inspiration for her, bringing her triumphs and recognition in return for her diligence and dedication to the sport. She highlighted the financial and social challenges she faced since childhood, especially since her father, suffering from bone cancer, was bedridden, and her mother was eking out a living for the family by doing odd jobs. These roadblocks made Simran nearly give up her dream of becoming an athlete, which would entail monumental physical and financial investment in a sporting career.
However, her dream has gradually fructified, riding on the constant encouragement from her coach Naik Gajendra Singh, whom she married in 2017. Gajendra has offered Simran persistent and unceasing support to emerge strong from every adversity, ensuring her success in the face of all odds. Simran revealed that he has even stood up on her behalf against social prejudice and patriarchal customs, such as the practice of ‘ghunghat’ (veil) imposed on married women of his family—customs that would hinder her march forward as an athlete.
In his dual role as husband and coach, Gajendra Singh, an Indian Army personnel, has blended personal care with professional expertise, guiding Simran through a brutally tough physical and mental training regimen to script her remarkable para-athletics career. However, even more than the training imparted by him, Simran’s success has been defined by his constant emotional handholding and unshaken belief in her potential.
Speaking on the occasion, Gajendra said, “My role has been primarily to hone Simran’s talent while shielding her from negativity and motivating her to focus on her goals.” He also asserted the importance of working together as a team in achieving these goals, and argued that it is this kind of teamwork that also enables institutions like NCAER to attain their long-term objectives and achieve success in diverse fields for a developing nation like India. He flagged his ambition to set up academies for training children in various sports across the country, contending that India needs to identify and strengthen talent among its young population at a very early age, and provide them both the requisite opportunities and facilities so as to be able to shine on the international stage.
Simran and Gajendra are often described as a power couple in the world of sports, working cohesively to bring laurels to India at the highest level. As Simran said, “Wearing a jersey with ‘India’ inscribed at the back is a source of phenomenal pride. My ultimate goal is to win an Olympic gold medal for the country, soaking in the glory and honour that would come from hearing the Indian national anthem play as I stand on the podium of winners.”